Fresh research published in JAMA has brought to light a potential correlation between postmenopausal women, specifically those aged 50-79, and the potential health hazards stemming from the consumption of sugar-added beverages. Utilizing data from the Women's Health Initiative, the investigators delved into this relationship among a cohort of 98,786 individuals.
The initial data was gathered between 1993 and 1998, followed by a subsequent assessment in 2020. The findings revealed that individuals who reported consuming sugar-sweetened drinks on a daily basis exhibited a chronic liver disease mortality rate of 17.7 per 100,000 person-years. In contrast, this figure decreased to 7.1 for those who reported consuming three or fewer such drinks per month. Interestingly, there was no significant association between this type of risk and the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages.
Conversely, the rates of liver cancer diagnosis were recorded at 18 per 100,000 among those who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages daily, whereas the rate dropped to 10.3 for individuals who consumed three or fewer such drinks per month.
A significant number of Americans consume sugar-sweetened beverages on a daily basis.
Two of the numerous authors involved in the study, Dr. Longgang Zhao, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Xuehong Zhang, ScD, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, recognize the significance of the study in bridging a substantial gap in a country like the United States, where 63% of adults consume sugar-sweetened beverages daily.
"Epidemiological investigations focusing on dietary factors in relation to liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality are limited. Discovering new dietary factors could shed light on disease causation and offer primary prevention strategies for liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality."
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, MD, a clinical associate professor at the University of Southern California, finds the study intriguing, partly because it examines a demographic not typically associated with regular sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
"We usually tend to think of adolescents, college students pulling all-nighters, or individuals engrossed in video games as the stereotypical consumers. However, it's crucial to recognize that one might unknowingly consume more than necessary on a daily basis."
All individuals interviewed for this story emphasize that the study is observational in nature, implying that this association necessitates further time and research investment to ascertain "biological pathways." Essentially, while we have observed an elevated liver-related risk within this population, confirming these findings and unraveling the underlying reasons for this connection require additional investigation.
Consuming sugar has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
In the process of collecting this data, participants were regularly provided with a questionnaire inquiring about their frequency of consuming soft drinks, fruit drinks, and artificially sweetened beverages (often marketed as diet versions of popular options). Additionally, they were asked about their portion sizes at certain intervals.
Zhao and Zhang had a straightforward response when queried about whether any of their findings surprised them.
"No. The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, a proposed risk factor for conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, may contribute to insulin resistance and inflammation, both of which are closely linked to liver carcinogenesis and overall liver health. The outcomes derived from this extensive cohort study, the Women's Health Initiative, corroborate our hypothesis that sugar-sweetened beverages present a risk factor for liver-related ailments."
Further research is necessary to comprehend the connection between sugar consumption and liver disease.
The study holds the potential to guide forthcoming research aimed at unraveling the physiological underpinnings behind this escalated risk. The authors also underscored the prospect of exploring the body's relationship with liver health through investigations into factors like the gut microbiome.
Recognizing that every study has its limitations, this study is no exception. The authors acknowledged in their article that the questionnaire administered to participants over two decades ago comprised just three questions and lacked the specificity to discern the precise beverages consumed by participants.
Nevertheless, this research holds significant value. The nearly 21 years of follow-up and the researchers' capacity to verify mortality data were noted as strengths of the study. Zhao and Zhang stress that this research offers compelling evidence that further investigations should encompass not only this age group but also younger individuals.
"Considering the study's focus on postmenopausal women, research involving men and younger women is essential to comprehensively examine these associations. Moreover, additional research is imperative to elucidate potential mechanisms, encompassing genetic factors and animal/experimental studies. If our findings are substantiated, reducing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption could serve as a public health strategy to alleviate the burden of liver cancer."
As for Dasgupta, he is eager to witness the revelations that further exploration in this domain could unveil.
"This research serves as an enlightening revelation, reminding everyone, regardless of age, to be conscious of what they put into their bodies."
%20(1)-Photoroom.png)