A comprehensive study shows that a high consumption ofsugary drinksincreases the risk of developing colon cancer before the age of 50. And that's exactly what makes soft drinks a risk factor for colon cancer.
In the study of sugary drinks as colorectal cancer risk factors, researchers analyzed dietary and medical records from more than 95,000 women. Data were collected between 1991 and 2015 as part of the US Nurses' Health II study. Using this data, the researchers wanted to find evidence of a connection between sugary drinks and the early detection of colon cancer.
The results showed that women who consumed more than half a liter of such drinks daily were twice as likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer during the study period.
Researchers also examined whether consumption of sugary drinks during adolescence might play a role in rising colon cancer rates. To do this, they analyzed questionnaires that 41,000 women between the ages of 13 and 18 filled out about their drinking habits. According to the study, the risk increased before the age of 50to develop colon cancer, per 350 ml sugary drink daily by 32%.
It is nothing new that drinks that are very high in sugar are harmful to health. They quickly lead to obesity and also to type 2 diabetes. The fact that they have also been proven to be colon cancer risk factors is another reason to avoid them. “Our findings highlight the public health importance of limiting sugary beverage intake for better health outcomes,” say the researchers from Washington University in St. Louis.
Study results doubted
However, other scientists who were not involved in the study question the results. Only 109 women in the study were ultimately diagnosed with early-stage colon cancer, and only 19 of those women reported consuming more than half a liter of sugary drinks. Eating red and processed meat, a low-fiber diet, smoking, drinking alcohol, and being overweight can also increase the risk of the disease. And all of these factors are difficult to take into account.
“We simply cannot be sure whether the observed association between sugary drinks and bowel cancer under the age of 50 is cause and effect,” said Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics at the Open University. Duane Mellor, a nutritionist at Aston University, also says that while reducing intake of sugary drinks could reduce the risk of colon cancer, it may have little effect unless lifestyle and overall diet are also improved.
