Not Just Diabetes: Sugary Drinks Increase Risk of Stomach Cancer

Excessive consumption of sugary drinks not only impacts the risk of obesity or diabetes, but also increases a person’s risk of developing stomach cancer.

Findings from a recent study published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances reveal that people who consume at least one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages every day have a 2.45 times higher risk of developing stomach cancer compared with those who rarely drink them.

Previously, the most commonly recognised main risk factors for stomach cancer included Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacterial infection, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking habits, advanced age, and male sex.

The study noted that the increased risk from sugary drink consumption occurred in both women and men. However, the level of risk was recorded as higher in the female group.

Uniquely, the researchers confirmed that the relationship between sugary drink consumption and the increased risk of stomach cancer stood on its own and was not linked to H. pylori bacterial infection.

In addition, drinks with artificial sweeteners (such as diet tea and calorie-free soda) showed no association with an increased risk of stomach cancer.

The research team suspects fructose compounds, the main sweetener commonly used in the beverage industry, as one of the main connecting threads. High fructose intake has been shown to correlate positively with stomach cancer cases, especially in the female population.

This research utilised data from two of the longest-running health studies in the United States, namely the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The study tracked the dietary patterns and medical records of 112,284 participants over decades, documenting 278 confirmed cases of stomach cancer.

Participants routinely completed food frequency questionnaires every four years with a standard portion of 8 ounces (about 236 ml), and updated lifestyle and health history data every two years. The analysis was also adjusted for other risk factors, including consumption of red meat and processed meat.

Nevertheless, the researchers emphasised that this study is observational in nature. The majority of participants were white health workers aged 30–75 years, so further research is needed to ascertain whether similar findings apply to other ethnic groups and younger populations.