(The Harvard Gazette) — In a new study, researchers have found an increased risk of liver cancer and chronic liver disease mortality among women who consume sugar-sweetened beverages on a daily basis.
Led by researchers at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the observational study included nearly 100,000 postmenopausal women from the Women’s Health Initiative. Participants were followed for a median of more than 20 years. Researchers looked at self-reported liver cancer incidence and death due to chronic liver disease such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or chronic hepatitis, which were further verified by medical records or the National Death Index.
A total of 98,786 postmenopausal women were included in the final analyses. The 6.8 percent of women who consumed one or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily had an 85 percent higher risk of liver cancer and 68 percent higher risk of chronic liver disease mortality compared to those who had fewer than three sugar-sweetened beverages per month. (…)