Consuming as little as one sugar-sweetened beverage per day could more than double the risk of developing stomach cancer, according to a new study by Harvard-affiliated researchers. The findings highlight a potential link between diet and the rise of gastric cancer, especially among younger adults.
Researchers analyzed health records and dietary habits of over 100,000 adults for the study, published in Gastro Hep Advances. They found that individuals who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily were 2.4 times more likely to develop gastric cancer compared to those who abstained. While the increased risk was observed in both men and women, women faced a three-fold greater likelihood, while men had a two-fold increase.
Sugar-sweetened beverages include drinks like soda, punch, lemonade, and sports drinks, often sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. The study differentiated these from artificially sweetened beverages, which were not associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer.
"This is the first study to demonstrate an association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and gastric cancer in a US population," said Andrew T. Chan, a senior study author and gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. "Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, but we've known very little about how diet might contribute to this cancer."
Stomach cancer, or gastric cancer, affects approximately 31,500 Americans annually, with nearly 11,000 deaths, according to the American Cancer Society. The average age of diagnosis is 68, with most cases diagnosed after age 65. However, a concerning trend has emerged in recent years, with diagnoses rising by about one percent annually among individuals under 50.
Experts are investigating various factors contributing to this uptick in younger populations, including the consumption of ultra-processed foods, antibiotic use, and the presence of the stomach bacteria H. pylori. Early symptoms of stomach cancer can be subtle and easily dismissed, such as persistent abdominal pain, bloating, and frequent burping, often attributed to stress or minor digestive issues.
While the precise biological mechanisms linking sugar-sweetened beverages to stomach cancer are still under investigation, researchers propose several possibilities. These include weight gain, insulin resistance, inflammation, DNA damage, and imbalances in the gut microbiome. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore the underlying causes.
IMAGE2: People who drank just one sugar-sweetened beverage like soda a day were twice as likely to develop stomach cancer in a new study (stock image)