Consumption of sugar‐sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks and risk of cancers not related to obesity. Issue 12 (21st November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bassett, Julie K.; Milne, Roger L.; English, Dallas R.; Giles, Graham G.; Hodge, Allison M.
• Is Part Of: International journal of cancer. Volume 146:Issue 12(2020)
• Page Start: 3329
• Page End: 3334
• Publication Date: 2019-11-21
• Subjects: sugar‐sweetened soft drinks -- artificially sweetened soft drinks -- cancer -- prospective study; Cancer -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Prevention -- Periodicals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.32772
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-7136

Abstract

Abstract : Consumption of sugary drinks increases the risk of obesity. Previously, we reported a positive association between sugar‐sweetened soft drink consumption and obesity‐related cancer, but this association was not fully explained by obesity; in contrast, we found no association for consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks. Our aim was to determine whether the consumption of sugar‐sweetened or artificially sweetened soft drinks was associated with cancers other than those currently identified as being related to obesity. We used data from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Participants completed a 121‐item food‐frequency questionnaire at baseline including separate questions about the number of times in the past year they had consumed sugar‐sweetened and artificially sweetened soft drinks. Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the risk of cancers not related to obesity. During 19 years of follow‐up, there were 35, 109 eligible participants who developed 4, 789 cancers not related to obesity. There was no association between frequency of consuming sugar‐sweetened soft drinks and the risk of these cancers, but an unexpected positive association was observed for consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks. Although, we did not find an association with sugar‐sweetened soft drinks, we previously reported a positive association with obesity‐related cancers, not fully explained by obesity. These findings leave unresolved the question of whether consumption of sugar‐sweetened soft drinks influences cancer risk independently of their influence on body size. Abstract : What's new? Previously, the authors reported a positive association between consumption of sugar‐sweetened soft drinks and risk of obesity‐related cancers, but this association was not completely explained by obesity. In this prospective study, they investigated sugar‐sweetened soft drink consumption and non‐obesity‐related cancers and found no association. An unexpected positive association was observed with artificially‐sweetened soft drinks. Even though these findings leave unresolved whether consumption of sugar‐ sweetened soft drinks influences cancer risk independently of their association with body size, the work still supports recommendations to limit soft drink consumption. More research is needed to confirm the long‐term safety of artificially‐sweetened soft drinks.