- People who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage daily had a 2.45 times higher risk of stomach cancer compared to those who drank less than one serving per month.
- Study analyzed 112,284 U.S. adults from two long-running health studies tracking diet and health over decades.
- Artificially sweetened beverages showed no similar association with increased stomach cancer risk.
- The link between sugary drinks and cancer appeared independent of H. pylori infection, the usual suspect in stomach cancer.
- Researchers stress findings show association, not proof of cause, but call for further study.
The daily habit that doubles cancer risk
About 65% of American adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened beverage every day. A decades-long study from the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute now links that single daily drink to more than double the risk of developing stomach cancer.
Researchers examined data from 112,284 participants enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which tracked diet, lifestyle and health outcomes over decades. During follow-up periods extending through 2021 and 2022, 278 participants developed gastric cancer. The findings were published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances.
Doubling the risk, one drink at a time
After adjusting for other risk factors, participants who drank at least one serving of sugar-sweetened beverages daily had 2.45 times the risk of stomach cancer compared with those who consumed less than one serving per month. Among women who drank more than one sugary beverage daily, the risk climbed to roughly three times higher.
Higher total fructose intake—the main sweetener in these drinks—also tracked with increased stomach cancer rates, pointing directly at the sugar content.
Sugar-sweetened beverages included carbonated drinks, punch, lemonade and sports drinks—the last two often perceived as harmless. Artificially sweetened drinks showed no similar association with increased stomach cancer risk, but they are associated with higher risk of liver cancer.
H. pylori not the culprit here
Infection with H. pylori bacteria is a well-known driver of stomach cancer. The researchers examined whether sugary drinks simply correlated with infection.
In a subset of 940 participants with H. pylori data, slightly more than one-third showed evidence of infection. However, sugary drink habits did not track with infection rates at all. The higher cancer risk appeared to operate independently of this common stomach bacterium.
What this means for prevention
Stomach cancer ranks as the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Earlier research has linked sugar-sweetened beverages to colorectal, breast and liver cancers, but this study is the first to demonstrate an association with gastric cancer in a U.S. population.
The researchers caution that observational studies identify associations but cannot prove cause and effect. The study population was predominantly white, limiting conclusions about racial and ethnic differences. Limited data on family history and modest cancer case numbers mean larger studies will need to confirm the pattern. Additionally, critics argue that cane sugar is not the same as high fructose corn syrup, suggesting the ingredients should be studied separately. Also, the amount of sugar in each drink was not tracked, which dieticians also say can make a big difference.
Nevertheless, the decades of detailed tracking make the signal difficult to ignore.
What to put in your glass instead
Simple swaps can reduce daily sugar load: sparkling water with lemon or mint, herbal iced teas, or plain water with a pinch of sea salt for hydration. Broccoli sprouts, garlic, cabbage and fermented vegetables offer protective compounds for stomach lining health. Reading labels for added sugars—listed as cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup or fruit juice concentrate—helps identify hidden sources.
The bottom line
Few people connect a lunchtime lemonade to stomach cancer, which is exactly why prevention must begin long before diagnosis. This study adds stomach cancer to the growing list of diseases linked to daily sugary drink consumption, reinforcing that what goes in the glass matters as much as what goes on the plate.
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