People who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had about 2.45 times the risk of developing gastric (stomach) cancer as people who drank fewer than one a month, according to Mass General Brigham research published in the journal Gastro Hep Advances. The paper was published online Aug. 17.
The habit is widespread. In national survey data from the CDC, 63% of U.S. adults reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages once a day or more.
The finding needs an important qualifier, and the researchers noted it themselves. The study was observational, which means it can show an association but cannot prove that sugary drinks cause stomach cancer. Stomach cancer is also relatively uncommon in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates about 31,510 new U.S. cases in 2026, about 1.5% of all new cancers, so a higher relative risk still starts from a low baseline.
Inside the Numbers from Two Long-Running Cohorts
The researchers analyzed data from 112,284 participants in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Both projects collected detailed diet, lifestyle, and health information from U.S. adults over many decades. During follow-up, 278 participants developed gastric cancer.
After the researchers accounted for other possible risk factors, participants who drank at least one serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage a day had a 2.45 times higher risk than those who drank less than one serving a month. The association appeared in both women and men. Higher total fructose intake, the main sweetener in these drinks, was also linked to more gastric cancer. Among women in the Nurses' Health Study, drinking more than one sugary beverage a day was associated with a 3.04-fold higher risk compared with rarely drinking them.
The study defined sugar-sweetened beverages as carbonated drinks, punch, lemonade, and sports drinks. Artificially sweetened beverages, defined as low-calorie carbonated drinks, were not linked to higher gastric cancer rates after the researchers adjusted for other factors.
"This is the first study to demonstrate an association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and gastric cancer in a U.S. population," senior author Andrew T. Chan, a gastroenterologist and epidemiologist with the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, said in the health system's announcement. "Gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, but we've known very little about how diet might contribute to this cancer."
The Limits That Shape How Much This Means
Because the study was observational, the higher cancer rates among heavy sugary drink consumers could reflect other factors. The researchers said the large study size and detailed health records allowed them to adjust for many known risk factors, but no adjustment removes that possibility entirely.
The authors also noted specific gaps. They had limited information on participants' Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection status and family history of gastric cancer. Most participants were white, which limited the researchers' ability to look for differences across racial and ethnic groups.
That last point matters. According to the American Cancer Society, stomach cancer in the United States is more common in several racial and ethnic groups, including Hispanic American, African American, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander people, than in non-Hispanic White people. The study says the least about the groups with higher baseline risk.
Because H. pylori infection raises gastric cancer risk, the researchers checked infection status in a subset of 940 participants. Just over one-third showed evidence of infection, but sugary drink consumption was not associated with infection. That suggests drinking habits did not simply track with infection in this group, although the subset was small compared with the full study.
The work was supported by federal research grants and a Stand Up to Cancer Gastric Cancer Interception Dream Team award. Chan disclosed consulting for Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim and grant support from Freenome Holdings outside the submitted work.
Reasonable Takeaways for a Household Grocery List
A single soda is no cause for alarm. Cutting back on sugary drinks is already recommended for better-established reasons. The CDC links frequent sugary drink consumption to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay.
Water, unsweetened tea, and coffee are simple swaps. The lack of a link for diet drinks in this study is not an endorsement of them, since other research has raised separate questions about artificial sweeteners. They simply were not associated with gastric cancer here.
People with known gastric cancer risk factors have the most reason to pay attention. These include H. pylori infection, a close relative with stomach cancer, smoking, certain inherited syndromes, and long-term inflammation of the stomach lining (chronic gastritis). For them, the most useful conversation with a clinician is about H. pylori testing and treatment and about family history.
Symptoms that deserve a medical visit include ongoing indigestion or stomach pain, feeling full after small meals, unexplained weight loss, and nausea or vomiting. Vomiting blood, black or tarry stools, or sudden severe abdominal pain need urgent care. People without insurance can seek care at federally funded community health centers, which charge on a sliding scale based on income.
The researchers say more studies are needed to confirm the findings and learn why sugary drinks might be linked to higher risk. Studies in more diverse groups, with better H. pylori.
Key Questions Answered
What did the study find? Adults who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had about 2.45 times the gastric cancer risk of those who drank fewer than one a month, in a study of 112,284 U.S. adults.
Does this prove sugary drinks cause stomach cancer? No. The study was observational, so it shows an association and cannot establish cause and effect.
How common is stomach cancer in the U.S.? It is relatively uncommon. The American Cancer Society estimates about 31,510 new cases in 2026, and only 278 cases occurred among the study's 112,284 participants over decades of follow-up.
Were diet sodas linked to risk? No. After adjustment, artificially sweetened beverages were not associated with higher gastric cancer rates in this study.
Who should pay closest attention? People with H. pylori infection, a family history of stomach cancer, a history of smoking, certain inherited syndromes, or chronic gastritis.
What symptoms warrant a doctor visit? Ongoing indigestion or stomach pain, early fullness, unexplained weight loss, and nausea or vomiting. Vomiting blood or black, tarry stools need urgent care.
Has medical guidance changed? No. Existing advice to limit sugary drinks already rests on stronger evidence related to weight, diabetes, heart health, and dental health.
