/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/larazon/WFHAKZYU5NDGVF367OXU3WWURQ.JPG?fit=%2C&ssl=1)
A new meta-analysis of observational studies led by the Nutrition and Cancer Unit of the Catalan Institute of Oncology and the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute has confirmed the association between a diet rich in sugary drinks, including fruit juices, and increased cancer development. The study, published in the scientific journal “The Nutrients”, investigated the role of different sugary drinks in carcinogenesis. The meta-analysis reviewed the results of 67 observational studies that have been published up to June of last year.. The results show a direct association between high consumption of sugary drinks (soft drinks) and increased risk of breast, prostate, colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
“When evaluating fruit juices, an increased risk was also observed in the same tumor sites as for sugary drinks. On the other hand, “light” drinks were only associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, “the researchers say in a statement. In addition, they explain that the data, regarding fruit juices and diet drinks, are more limited by what they suggest, with a view to future studies, to delve into this area of research ”.
This study supports the most current dietary recommendations of the World Research Fund (WCRF) to limit the consumption of sugary beverages for cancer prevention and consumer sensitivity to their low nutritional quality and high sugar content. So we recommend the substitution of sugary drinks for drinking, tap or bottled water, and sugar-free infusions as the main liquid source for body hydration” assures Raúl Zamora-Ros, project manager and researcher at the ICO-Idibell Nutrition and Cancer Unit. and add that “The consumption of whole fruits should also prioritize fruit juices. This will favor the adequate consumption of essential nutrients, reduce the excessive intake of sugars and empty calories and, therefore, help prevent the risk of suffering from cardio-metabolic diseases and cancer “.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with 9.6 million deaths in 2018, a figure that is expected to double by 2040. Excess weight and diabetes have been confirmed as important risk factors for many types of cancer. What’s more, Diets rich in beverages with a high sugar content, either added (sugary drinks) or natural (fruit juices) can contribute to an excessive intake of calories and fructose, which often result in an increase in weight and metabolic parameters.
According to the researchers, this fact is related to adiposity, insulin resistance, oxidative stress and inflammation, which can ultimately promote the development and progression of cancer. Also, drinks containing artificial sweeteners, known as “diet drinks”, have also been suggested as harmful as they increase the risk of obesity and diabetes.
– .
