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Sugary drinks associated with stomach cancer? Study raises questions about our beverage choices, cancer specialist explains risk
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Dr Rupjyoti Sarma emphasises that sugary drinks should not be isolated in discussions about stomach cancer risks, as multiple factors also play critical roles.
Could sugary drinks be linked to stomach cancer? A 2026 study published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances tracked beverage intake to examine whether sugar-sweetened and low-calorie drinks differ in their relationship with gastric cancer. The research raises questions about what we drink.
To understand the study and the implications it draws for our beverage choices, HT Lifestyle spoke with Dr Rupjyoti Sarma, cancer physician at M|O|C Cancer Care Mumbai. According to him, the research has raised an interesting question: could regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages be associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer?
The study: could sugary drinks be associated with stomach cancer?
Dr Rupjyoti explained that the study followed 1,12,284 participants from two large US health-professional cohorts over more than 3.2 million person-years. The researchers recorded 278 cases of gastric cancer, finding that: “People consuming more than one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had 2.45 times the incidence of gastric cancer compared with those consuming less than one serving a month.”
The result was the same even after accounting for factors such as body weight, smoking, alcohol, diabetes, physical activity and overall diet. However, this does not mean that sugary drinks have been proven to cause stomach cancer, Dr Rupjyoti underlined.
The limitations
According to him, this was an observational study, meaning the researchers observed dietary habits and subsequent cancer diagnoses rather than assigning people to consume sugary drinks. “Such studies can identify associations but cannot establish cause and effect,” Dr Rupjyoti stated.
Moreover, the study also had limitations: “information about ‘helicobacter pylori’ infection was available only for a smaller subgroup, while detailed information about family history, previous endoscopy, and the exact location of the stomach tumour was limited. Most participants were also from predominantly white US populations, so the findings cannot simply be assumed to apply equally to Indians.”
Why this distinction matters in India
According to the cancer specialist, that distinction matters in India, where stomach cancer remains an important health concern. “GLOBOCAN 2022 estimated more than 43,000 new stomach cancer cases among Indian men alone,” he revealed.
“Stomach cancer is influenced by several factors, and sugary drinks should not be viewed in isolation. Age, family history, obesity, smoking, dietary patterns and particularly chronic H. pylori infection can all influence risk,” the cancer specialist added.
According to him, H. pylori is a well-established risk factor for gastric cancer, and treating the infection can reduce cancer risk. Diets high in salt and poorly preserved foods, along with smoking and excess body weight, are also recognised risk factors.
Interestingly, the study did not find a similar association with artificially sweetened beverages, the cancer specialist pointed out. “But that does not automatically make diet drinks a cancer-prevention strategy. Evidence on artificial sweeteners and cancer remains mixed, and organisations such as the World Cancer Research Fund recommend water or unsweetened drinks where possible,” he explained.
Lastly, the cancer specialist stressed that there is therefore no reason to panic over an occasional soft drink. However, he also stated that reducing the frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is a sensible health measure, particularly because excessive intake is already associated with problems such as excess weight and metabolic disease.
“For artificial sweeteners, there is currently no strong evidence to recommend avoiding one particular approved sweetener solely because of stomach cancer concerns. Aspartame has received particular attention after IARC classified it as ‘possibly carcinogenic’, but this classification reflects hazard at a particular level of evidence—not proof that ordinary consumption causes cancer,” the cancer specialist added.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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