A study found that women who drink just one soda daily are more likely to develop liver cancer. A team from Harvard Medical School in Boston observed a group of nearly 100,000 American women over the age of 50, following them for more than 20 years. Women who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened sodas per day were 85% more likely to be diagnosed with liver cancer during that time compared to those who drank less than one soda per week. It was also found that daily soda consumption increased their risk of dying from liver diseases by 68% compared to those who consumed soda three times or less per month. However, researchers noted that the overall risk of death remained very low, with only about 150 deaths from the disease observed in the study. No association was found between liver cancer and the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages—despite recent concerns about the popular sweetener aspartame being linked to tumor formation.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Pauline Emmett, a senior researcher at the University of Bristol, stated: "Although this study is observational and cannot establish causation, we know from a range of evidence that it is worth thinking twice before choosing to drink sugar-sweetened beverages daily." Sugary drinks are often high in calories and increase the risk of obesity, which itself is a risk factor for cancer and liver diseases. Excessive sugar intake can also lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, increasing the likelihood of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The study tracked 98,786 postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 who participated in the Women's Health Initiative from 1993 to 1998 across 40 clinical centers in the United States. They were followed until March 1, 2020. The study results were presented in terms of “person-years,” a measure that includes both the number of participants in the study and the amount of time each participant spent in the study.
The publication in Jama Network Open stated: "Compared to consuming three or fewer sugar-sweetened beverages per month, consuming one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily was associated with an increased rate of liver cancer and mortality from chronic diseases." The researchers added that some "potential pathways" include obesity, significant spikes in blood sugar levels, and fat accumulation around the liver, although their study could not determine how sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is linked to liver diseases.
