NEW DELHI: Drinking just one sugary beverage a day may be linked to a significantly higher risk of stomach cancer, according to a study by researchers at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute in the United States. The researchers found that people who regularly consumed sugar-sweetened drinks had 2.45 times the risk of developing gastric cancer compared with those who rarely drank them. The findings show an association and do not establish that sugary drinks cause cancer.
The research, published in Gastro Hep Advances on August 17, 2026, examined health and dietary records from 112,284 American adults over several decades. During the follow-up period, 278 participants developed gastric cancer. Researchers examined drinks such as regular soft drinks, fruit punch and sweetened sports beverages to understand their possible connection with the disease.
What did the study find?
Researchers analysed information from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
After accounting for several other risk factors, they found that consuming at least one serving of a sugary drink daily was associated with 2.45 times the gastric cancer risk compared with drinking fewer than one serving per month.
The association appeared in both men and women. Among women, higher consumption was linked to a 3.04-fold increase in risk.
Senior author Andrew T. Chan said, “This is the first study to demonstrate an association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and gastric cancer in a U.S. population.”
Why could sugary drinks be linked to stomach cancer?
Researchers found that higher fructose consumption was associated with increased stomach cancer incidence.
Fructose is a type of sugar commonly found in sweetened beverages.
The study found no statistically significant association between artificially sweetened drinks and gastric cancer. This finding does not establish that artificial sweeteners prevent the disease or are completely risk-free.
Does drinking sugary beverages cause cancer?
The researchers cautioned that their study was observational, meaning it cannot establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship.
Information about participants’ Helicobacter pylori infection status and family history of stomach cancer was limited. Most participants were white Americans, so the findings cannot automatically be applied to India’s population.
Researchers say further studies are needed to confirm the association and understand the possible biological mechanisms.
