People who drink one or more servings of sugar-sweetened beverages a day face a 2.45 times higher risk of developing gastric cancer compared with those who never consume them, according to a new study.
The research defines "sugar-sweetened beverages" (SSB) as regular sodas, fruit punches, lemonades and sports drinks. One of their main ingredients is corn syrup, which is rich in fructose, described in the study as its central culprit.
The findings showed that the higher a participant's total fructose consumption, the higher the incidence, meaning new cases, of gastric cancer.
The study was carried out in the United States, drawing on data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Researchers from Harvard University, the Catholic University of Korea, Boston University, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital analyzed data from more than 100,000 participants collected over more than three decades.
Concern about sugary drink consumption is not new. American cardiovascular surgeon Jeremy London previously described sodas as "liquid death" in a social media post.
He later told the American television program "TODAY" that the phrase was also meant to draw attention to the problem, and he reiterated his concern over the large amount of calories and sugar found in sodas.
How fructose may drive cancer risk
The study found that fructose, the main sweetener in these beverages, showed a positive association with the incidence of the disease.
The exact biological mechanism behind the link is still being investigated, but researchers pointed to several theories for how fructose might raise gastric cancer risk.
According to the study's doctors, high fructose consumption is linked to increased body fat and changes in insulin metabolism, both of which could favor tumor development.
Excessive sugar intake may also trigger chronic inflammatory processes in the body and damage cells' genetic material, factors known to contribute to the emergence of cancer.
The study also found that drinking sugary beverages may cause an imbalance in steroid hormones, which in turn influences tumor growth.
Researchers additionally noted that fructose may disrupt the balance of the gut microbiota, a condition known as dysbiosis, which has also been linked to increased cancer risk.
Drinks that do not raise cancer risk
While the study raises an alarm over sugar-sweetened beverages, it found that drinks with artificial sweeteners (ASB) do not carry the same risk.
The results showed that consumption of artificially sweetened drinks, such as low-calorie diet or light sodas, was not associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer.
Juices made from 100% pure fruit with no added sugar likewise showed no evidence of raising gastric cancer risk.
