A daily fizzy drink, sweetened iced tea or sports drink may be linked with a higher risk of stomach cancer, according to a large new study.

The finding does not prove that sugary drinks cause the disease. Still, it adds to growing evidence that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages can have consequences beyond weight gain, tooth decay and diabetes risk.

“People who reported consuming at least one sugar-sweetened drink each day had a 2.45-times higher relative risk of stomach cancer than those who drank fewer than one serving per month”

The research, published in Gastro Hep Advances recently, examined dietary and health information from more than 112,000 participants enrolled in long-running US health studies that began in 1976 and 1986. Participants regularly completed questionnaires about their food and drink habits, health and lifestyle. Researchers then tracked new diagnoses of stomach cancer over many years.

People who reported consuming at least one sugar-sweetened drink each day had a 2.45-times higher relative risk of stomach cancer than those who drank fewer than one serving per month. The drinks assessed included carbonated soft drinks, fruit punch, lemonade and sports drinks.

That figure is attention-grabbing. It needs careful interpretation.

A relative-risk increase does not show a person’s individual chance of getting stomach cancer. Gastric cancer is far less common than breast, lung, colorectal or prostate cancer, although it remains the fifth most common cancer globally.

The study also cannot establish whether sugary drinks themselves caused the higher risk. People who consume these drinks regularly may differ in other ways that affect health, including their wider eating patterns, body weight, smoking status, physical activity, income, healthcare access, or other exposures that are difficult to measure fully.

Even so, the association persisted after researchers accounted for a number of recognised lifestyle and dietary factors. That does not settle the question of cause and effect. It does make the finding important enough to warrant further study.

Stomach cancer is often difficult to detect early. Symptoms can be vague and may overlap with more common digestive problems.

There is also no routine population-wide screening programme for stomach cancer, unlike screening programmes for conditions such as breast, cervical and colorectal cancer. In countries with a higher burden of gastric cancer, including parts of East Asia, screening approaches may differ.

This makes prevention especially important. Yet prevention should be understood in its full context. The best-established factors linked with stomach cancer include infection with Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterium that can damage the stomach lining; smoking; diets high in salted, smoked or preserved foods; and certain inherited conditions or a family history of the disease.

Sugar-sweetened drinks are not yet an established direct cause. This study identifies an association that must be confirmed in other populations and investigated more closely.

The research team explored a related question involving artificially sweetened drinks, such as low-calorie or diet soft drinks. Higher intake of these drinks was not associated with a higher risk of stomach cancer in this analysis.

That result should not be overread. “No association” in one study does not mean that artificially sweetened drinks are health-promoting, completely harmless, or a proven way to prevent cancer. It simply means that researchers did not find the same relationship with stomach cancer that they observed for beverages containing sugar. The wider evidence on artificial sweeteners and long-term health remains under investigation.

Scientists cannot yet say why sugar-sweetened beverages might be linked to stomach cancer. Several possibilities have been proposed, but none was proved by this study so far. These drinks can add large amounts of sugar and calories to a daily diet without creating much fullness.

Frequent consumption may contribute to weight gain, poorer diet quality, metabolic changes and inflammation, all of which have been studied in relation to cancer and other chronic illnesses.

Inflammation is one possible area of interest, particularly because long-term inflammation can contribute to the development of several cancers. However, it remains uncertain whether sweetened drinks increase stomach-specific inflammation in a way that promotes gastric cancer. The gut microbiome, insulin resistance and the metabolic effects of fructose are also areas researchers may explore. At present, these are hypotheses, not proven mechanisms.

The broader public-health message is more settled. Many people consume more added sugar than recommended, and sugary drinks are one of the largest sources. They are easy to drink quickly, widely available and often marketed as energising, refreshing or useful after exercise.

A bottle of sports drink may seem like a healthier choice than cola. Some contain substantial added sugar, particularly when used outside prolonged or intense physical activity.

Sugary drinks are not limited to fizzy drinks. Sweetened coffees, bubble teas, flavoured waters, commercial smoothies, energy drinks, sweetened fruit drinks and bottled teas can all contribute significant amounts of added sugar. Some products appear healthier because they contain fruit imagery or use terms such as “natural”, “vitamin-enhanced” or “real juice”. Those descriptions do not necessarily mean the drink is low in sugar.

Reading the nutrition label can help. Check the serving size first, since a bottle may contain more than one serving. Then look at added sugars and the ingredients list. Terms including high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, glucose, dextrose, sucrose, agave syrup and fruit juice concentrate may indicate added or concentrated sugars.

A drink made from whole fruit is different from a sweetened fruit-flavoured beverage, and whole fruit provides fibre that slows the absorption of naturally occurring sugars.

For people who drink sugary beverages every day, gradual changes may be more realistic than an all-or-nothing approach. Replacing one daily drink with chilled water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea can be a manageable starting point.

Those who prefer sweet tea could initially mix sweetened and unsweetened versions, then shift the balance over time. Someone used to cola might combine a smaller amount with plain sparkling water or limit it to selected days rather than making it a daily routine.

Taste preferences can change. They often do, although it may take several weeks. Keeping water easily available, adding a slice of lemon or cucumber for flavour, or choosing unsweetened sparkling water may make the transition easier.

Coffee and tea without added sugar can also fit into a balanced diet for many adults, though individual health needs vary.

The new findings should not cause panic over an occasional soft drink. Cancer risk develops through a complicated mix of biology, infection, genes, environment and long-term habits. No single beverage determines a person’s future health. Yet repeated choices can matter, particularly when a habit is sustained for years.

For people concerned about stomach cancer, it is more useful to focus on the whole picture. Avoiding tobacco, maintaining a balanced diet, limiting heavily salted and processed foods, seeking testing or treatment for H. pylori when advised by a clinician, and discussing a strong family history with a healthcare professional are all relevant considerations.

Cutting down on sugary drinks may be another sensible step, with likely benefits for overall health even while researchers work to clarify its specific connection to gastric cancer.

Persistent digestive symptoms should not be ignored. Unexplained weight loss, ongoing stomach discomfort, difficulty swallowing, repeated vomiting, feeling full unusually quickly, black stools or blood in vomit warrant prompt medical assessment. Most of these symptoms will not be caused by stomach cancer, but they deserve attention.

The study’s key lesson is therefore measured rather than dramatic. A daily sugary drink was associated with a substantially higher relative risk of stomach cancer in this large study. That association is not proof of cause.

It is, however, one more reason to reconsider how often sugar-sweetened beverages feature in everyday life. Water remains the simplest default choice. Small swaps, repeated consistently, can support better health over time.