Beverages in every home threaten the stomach!
Results of a recent American study have warned that regular or excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened canned beverages more than doubles the risk of developing stomach cancer, according to researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
The study analyzed health data from more than 112,000 adults in the United States, revealing that individuals who consumed one sugar-sweetened beverage daily were 2.45 times more likely to develop stomach cancer compared to those who consumed such drinks once a month or less. This association appeared significantly stronger among female participants.
The researchers clarified that sugar-sweetened beverages include carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, and added-sugar juices, excluding 100 percent pure fresh fruit juices.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight the scale of consumption of these beverages in the United States, with the following figures:
• More than 60 percent of American adults consume a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once a day.
• Approximately 60 percent of American children also consume a sugar-sweetened beverage daily.
• Children, on average, obtain more than 400 calories per day from these beverages alone.
Stomach cancer is the fourth most lethal cancer worldwide. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 30,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease each year, and more than 10,000 others die from it.
Conversely, researchers did not find the same link between artificially sweetened beverages and an increased risk of stomach cancer, although previous studies have associated artificial sweeteners with other negative health effects, including adverse impacts on metabolic and digestive health.
Dr. Manish Shah, a professor of medicine and gastrointestinal medical oncology at Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, who was not involved in the study, described the findings as notable if confirmed, noting the growing awareness of the risks associated with excessive fructose and added sugar consumption. He pointed out that high intake has previously been linked to the development of colon cancer, albeit to a lesser extent than with stomach cancer.
Scientists are still working to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between high sugar consumption and certain cancers. Shah suggested that multiple effects may occur simultaneously, including the possibility that fructose could alter the gut microbiome, thereby increasing cancer risk.
Previous studies have indicated that sugar-sweetened beverages are also associated with weight gain and metabolic changes, while obesity has been linked to cancer in other research, reinforcing calls to moderate the consumption of these beverages as part of a balanced diet.
