Is your daily soda a danger? Study reveals troubling link
Sugar-sweetened beverages are often singled out for their harmful effects on health, particularly for their role in obesity and diabetes. However, a recent study suggests that they may also be implicated in the increase in cases of oral cancer. These worrying results call for greater vigilance and raise new questions about the impact of our diet on the development of certain serious diseases. We tell you more ;).
Major study reveals increased risk
Recent research conducted by University of Washington in Seattle and published on JAMA Network on March 13, 2025, highlights a possible correlation between the consumption of sweetened beverages and the development of oral cancers. The study was based on the analysis of data from 162,602 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study, a long-term follow-up cohort. The results show that women who consumed at least one sugar-sweetened beverage per day had a 4.87-fold increased risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Even excluding confounding factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption, the risk climbed to 5.46 times higher for regular soda drinkers (JAMA Network, 2025).
A worrying trend among women
Traditionally, oral cancers have mainly affected older men, due to their higher consumption of alcohol and tobacco. However, the study reveals a worrying increase in these pathologies among women, including those who don't smoke or drink. Brittany Barber, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Washington, describes this trend as "alarming" in an interview with United Press International. The magazine Futurism recalls that, according to researchers, in 2020, 355,000 cases of oral cancer were recorded worldwide, resulting in 177,000 deaths. Although less widespread than breast or colon cancer, this type of cancer remains particularly aggressive (United Press International, 2025).
A call for caution
While the findings of this research are worrying, they still require further investigation to establish a direct causal link. Some experts believe that the overall diet of soda drinkers may also play a role in this correlation. However, in view of this finding, specialists recommend limiting consumption of sugary drinks in favor of healthier alternatives, such as water. A study published on the National Library of Medicine points out that the five-year survival rate for oral cancer patients is only 64.3%, reinforcing the importance of prevention (National Library of Medicine, 2025).
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