A study presented at the American Society of Nutrition's June 2022 Meeting showed that women who consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage have a 78% greater risk for developing liver cancer.
The study included over 90,000 women aged 50 to 79 years. Women consuming one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily were 78% more likely to develop liver cancer and those consuming at least one soft drink per day were 73% more likely to develop liver cancer compared with those who never consumed these beverages or consumed less than three servings per month. Replacing one sugar-sweetened beverage with water reduced the risk for liver cancer by 29%, and replacing it with non-sugar sweetened coffee or tea reduced the risk by 20%.
Intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, a postulated risk factor for obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, drives insulin resistance and inflammation which are strongly implicated in liver carcinogenesis.
Incidence of liver cancer has risen sharply during the past three decades in the Unites States. Some risk factors such as viral hepatitis, smoking, alcohol, obesity, and diabetes are well known but more than 40% of liver cancers cannot be explained by any of these commonly known risk factors.
Take home message for women: sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a risk factor for liver cancer!
