Soft Drinks Increase Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Soft drinks have been blamed for higher rates of obesity, tooth decay, bone weakening and caffeine dependance. Here's more bad news for pop drinkers – people who drink two or more soft drinks a week have a significantly higher risk of getting pancreatic cancer. People drinking mostly fruit juices instead of soda did not have the same level of risk, according to a study of 60,000 people in Singapore.

Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study states that “The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth.”

Insulin helps the body metabolize sugar and coincidentally, is made in the pancreas. In the 14 year study of 60,524 men and women in Singapore, those who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87% higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than the non-pop drinkers.

Pancreatic cancer is an extremely deadly form of cancer and over 34,000 Americans a year die from it. The 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is a miniscule 5%, according to the American Cancer Society.

A typical can of pop contains 355 ml and contains almost all sugar. While I don't consume soft drinks on a regular basis, I do enjoy a can of sodapop every once in a while and this study is enough to scare me away from drinking it any more.

Hopefully, this study that has been widely published in most major papers in North America will make people inclined to cut back. Maybe this is one more reason for school boards to ban soft drinks on site?