Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute is warning that soft drinks and juices are the products we should avoid most. High consumption of sweetened food and drink increases the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. A heavy intake of fizzy drinks, creamed fruit and sugar in coffee are three common ways of increasing the risk.
Researchers at the Karolinska Institute studied the diets of almost 80,000 men and women between 1997 and 2005. A total of 131 developed pancreatic cancer, a deadly form of the disease that is difficult to treat. Researchers says those who drink sugary drinks twice a day or more double the risk of getting the cancer, and those who have sugar in five or more cups of coffee a day have a seventy per cent increased risk.
“Scientists have now, for the first time, shown that the consumption of sweetened food and drink affects a person’s chances of developing pancreatic cancer,” the Karolinska Institute said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Pancreatic cancer is a very serious form of cancer that is possibly caused when the pancreas produces heightened levels of insulin as a consequence of upset glucose metabolism. “It is perhaps the most serious form of cancer, with very poor prognoses for its victims. Since it’s difficult to treat and is often discovered too late, it’s particularly important that we learn to prevent it,” Susanna Larsson, one of the authors of the study, said. A well-known way of increasing insulin production is to eat a lot of sugar. Scientists have now, for the first time, shown that the consumption of sweetened food and drink affects a person’s chances of developing pancreatic cancer.
Critics say that studies based on dietary surveys can often be unreliable because they do not always account for other factors. “It was a very large study, but it’s only the first one and so of course we will need more to be done,” Susanna Larsson, who led the study, told BeverageDaily.com. She called on soft drinks firms to reduce the sugar content of their drinks.
The rapidly growing sports drinks market, spearheaded by Coca-Cola’s Powerade and PepsiCo’s Gatorade, could be a prime target. Several reports and health campaigners have criticised these drinks for containing high levels of sugar.
“I think the effect from these drinks would be the same,” said Larsson.
About 216,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer, mostly in developed countries, are diagnosed each year. The illness is most common in people aged over 60. It is difficult to treat because it is often not diagnosed until it has spread beyond the pancreas.
“It is perhaps the most serious form of cancer, with very poor prognoses for its victims. Since it’s difficult to treat and is often discovered too late, it’s particularly important that we learn to prevent it,” Larsson said.
The USA tops the fizzy drinks league with 200 litres per person per year. Next comes Mexico with 151 litres, followed by Ireland (121 litres) and Norway (116 litres).
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