Study finds link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and cancer risk

A study published in BMJ suggests that sweetened sodas, sports drinks, and 100% fruit juice might raise the risk for some cancers. The researchers collected data on 101,257 French men and women aged 18 and older who took part in a national study. The participants answered questions about how much of 3,300 different foods and beverages they consumed each day and were followed for up to nine years (2009–2018).

The study couldn’t prove cause and effect, but it found that drinking as little as 3–4 ounces of sugary drinks each day was tied to an 18% rise in overall risk for cancer. Among women, a similar consumption level was tied to a 22% rise in breast cancer risk. The connection between sugary drinks and cancer remained the same even after the team adjusted for age, sex, educational level, family history of cancer, smoking, and physical activity.

The researchers found no association between sugary drinks and prostate or colon cancers, but the authors stressed that too few people in the study developed these cancers to make this finding definitive. In addition, they found no links between diet sodas and other artificially sweetened beverages and cancer, although more study is needed to confirm that, the authors noted.

The researchers concluded that “the results of this observational study based on a large prospective cohort suggest that a higher consumption of sugary drinks is associated with the risk of overall cancer and breast cancer … If these results are replicated in further large-scale prospective studies and supported by mechanistic experimental data, and given the large consumption of sugary drinks in Western countries, these beverages would represent a modifiable risk factor for cancer prevention, beyond their well-established impact on cardiometabolic health. These data support the relevance of existing nutritional recommendations to limit sugary drink consumption, including 100% fruit juice, as well as policy actions, such as taxation and marketing restrictions targeting sugary drinks, which might potentially contribute to the reduction of cancer incidence.”

In response to the study, the American Beverage Association released the following statement: “It’s important for people to know that all beverages—either with sugar or without—are safe to consume as part of a balanced diet. America’s leading beverage companies are working together to support consumers’ efforts to reduce the sugar they consume from our beverages by providing more choices with less sugar or zero sugar, smaller package sizes, and clear calorie information right up front.”

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