Sugary Soft Drinks Linked to Pancreatic Cancer

By: June Chen, MD

Both soft drinks and juices have been hypothesized as risk factors for pancreatic cancer because they can increase the level of insulin in the body, but data supporting this idea has been scarce. Now, according to a new study published in the February 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, regularly consuming soft drinks may increase a person’s risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Researchers investigated how higher consumption of soft drinks and juice affected the risk of pancreatic cancer in a group of over 60,000 Chinese men and women who were enrolled in the Singapore Chinese Health Study. The researchers collected information about consumption of soft drinks and other dietary items, as well as lifestyle and environmental exposures. During 14 years of follow-up, 140 cases of pancreatic cancer were reported. People who drank 2 or more soft drinks per week had a significantly increased risk (87%) of pancreatic cancer than individuals who did not consume any soft drinks. Higher consumption of soft drinks was found among men, smokers, and those who had higher levels of education, higher alcohol consumption, and lower levels of physical activity. Soda drinkers were also more likely to consume more carbohydrates, fat, added sugar, and red meat.

Although the researchers found a link between soft drinks and pancreatic cancer, they found no evidence supporting an association between juice consumption and pancreatic cancer risk. The researchers did find that, even after taking into consideration factors such as smoking, caloric intake, and type 2 diabetes, consumption of soft drinks still seemed to play a role in the development of pancreatic cancer. While increased insulin due to consumption of soft drinks may contribute to pancreatic cancer risk, it may also be that soda drinkers are more likely to have other unhealthy habits, as well. Although this study was conducted in Chinese men and women, Singapore is a highly industrialized nation with diet and lifestyle patterns that are similar to many Western countries, so it might still be reasonable to extrapolate the findings of this study to Europe and the United States, where soft drinks are the leading source of added sugary in the diet.

Source:

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19:447-455.