A 2026 study has raised questions about a possible association between sugar-sweetened beverages and stomach cancer, although experts caution that the findings do not establish that sugary drinks cause the disease. Published in Gastro Hep Advances, the research examined beverage consumption among 1,12,284 participants from two large US health-professional cohorts over more than 3.2 million person-years. The findings have prompted further discussion about beverage choices and gastric cancer risk.

The researchers recorded 278 cases of gastric cancer during the study period. Participants who consumed more than one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had 2.45 times the incidence of gastric cancer compared with those who consumed less than one serving a month. The association remained after adjustments for factors including body weight, smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, physical activity and overall diet. However, cancer physician Dr Rupjyoti Sarma stressed that the research was observational and therefore cannot establish a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study also had limitations that need to be considered when interpreting its findings. Information about Helicobacter pylori infection, an established risk factor for stomach cancer, was available only for a smaller subgroup. Data on family history, previous endoscopy and the precise location of tumours were also limited. In addition, most participants were from predominantly white populations in the US, meaning the findings cannot automatically be applied to the Indian population.

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Dr Sarma said sugary drinks should not be considered separately from other established risk factors for stomach cancer, particularly in India. Age, family history, obesity, smoking and dietary patterns can influence cancer risk, while chronic H. pylori infection is an important recognised factor. Diets high in salt and poorly preserved foods, along with excess body weight and tobacco use, can also contribute to gastric cancer risk. GLOBOCAN 2022 estimated more than 43,000 new stomach cancer cases among Indian men alone.

The study did not find the same association with artificially sweetened beverages, but Dr Sarma cautioned that this does not mean diet drinks can be considered a cancer-prevention strategy. Evidence concerning artificial sweeteners and cancer remains mixed, and health guidance generally favours water or unsweetened beverages where possible. He added that there is no need to panic over an occasional soft drink, but reducing regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is a reasonable health measure given their established links with excess weight and metabolic problems.

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