Sugar-sweetened beverages linked to increased gastric cancer risk

A long-term study involving over 112,000 participants has linked the daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages to an increased risk of gastric cancer. The research, published in Gastro Hep Advances, utilized data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study to track health outcomes over several decades.

Researchers found that individuals consuming at least one sugary drink per day—such as sodas, fruit punches, lemonades, or sports drinks—had a 2.45 times higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared to those who consumed fewer than one serving per month. Among women in the Nurses' Health Study, consuming more than one sugary beverage daily was associated with a 3.04 times higher risk.

Senior author Andrew Chan of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute noted that the association may be driven by metabolic dysfunction, including insulin and blood glucose pathways, rather than a direct carcinogenic effect. The study also identified a correlation between higher fructose intake and increased cancer risk. Notably, the research did not find a similar link between gastric cancer and beverages sweetened with artificial sweeteners.