Study Purportedly Links SSB Consumption and Cancer
French researchers have published a study in BMJ purportedly finding that the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) “was significantly associated with the risk of overall cancer” while the “consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was not associated with the risk of cancer.” Chazelas et al., “Sugary drink consumption and risk of cancer: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort,” BMJ, July 10, 2019. The researchers tracked the SSB consumption—including soft drinks, syrups, juices, hot beverages, sports drinks and energy drinks—of 101,257 participants through “repeated 24 hour dietary records” for periods between five and nine years. The results apparently showed that an increased consumption of 100% fruit juice “was positively associated with overall cancer rate” while the “association between sugar sweetened soda specifically and cancer rate was borderline non-significant.”
BMJ also published an opinion piece responding to Boris Johnson’s assertion that he may review the effectiveness of U.K. SSB and other “stealth sin” taxes if he becomes prime minister. The author, a public health specialty registrar, argues that the evidence is strong to support the connection between SSB consumption and negative health effects as well as for the effectiveness of SSB taxes.
