New Study Raises Concern Over Daily Consumption of Sugary Beverages

A recent study by researchers at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute has found an association between regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and gastric cancer risk. The research analysed data from 112,284 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. During decades of follow-up, 278 participants developed gastric cancer. Those who consumed at least one serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage every day had a 2.45-fold higher risk compared with people who consumed fewer than one serving per month. The association was also observed across both sexes, with a stronger increase reported among women.

The researchers also examined artificially sweetened beverages, fructose intake and H. pylori infection. Artificially sweetened beverages were not significantly associated with gastric cancer, while higher fructose intake was linked to a greater incidence of the disease. However, the study was observational and therefore cannot establish that sugary drinks directly cause gastric cancer. Researchers also noted limitations involving incomplete information on H. pylori status and family history, while the predominantly white study population limits how broadly the findings can be applied. Further research is needed to understand whether and how sugary beverages may contribute to gastric cancer risk.