London: People who drink a lot of sugary drinks have a higher risk of developing cancer, although the evidence cannot establish a direct causal link, researchers said on Friday. The findings of a large study in France do suggest, however, that limiting intake of sugar-sweetened drinks may help to cut the number of cancer cases in a population, the scientists said. Consumption of sugary drinks has risen worldwide in the last few decades and is linked to obesity, which itself increases cancer risk. The World Health Organization recommends that people should limit their daily intake of sugar to less than 10 per cent of their total energy intake, but also says a further reduction to below 5 per cent, or about 25 grams a day, would be healthier.
Many countries, including Britain, Belgium, France, Hungary and Mexico, have introduced, or are about to introduce, taxes on sugar with the aim of improving people’s health. Published in the BMJ British medical journal, this study analysed data from 101,257 French adults — 21 per cent of them men and 79 per cent women — and assessed their intake or sugary drinks. It followed them for a maximum of 9 years, between 2009 and 2018, to assess their risk for all types of cancer, and for some specific types including breast, colon and prostate cancer.
The results showed that a 100 millilitre (ml) a day increase in consumption of sugary drinks was linked to an 18 per cent increased risk of overall cancer and a 22 per cent increased risk of breast cancer. When the sugary drinkers were divided into those who drank fruit juices and those who drank other sweet drinks, both groups were also linked with a higher risk of overall cancer. — Reuters
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