Sugar, sweeteners and soft drinks have long been known to contribute to a number of health defects such as obesity, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Now there is new evidence that shows sugar beverages could increase women’s risk of developing endometrial cancer. According to a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, postmenopausal women who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages were more likely to develop cancer than those who did not.
The study was the first of its kind to report the relationship of sugar beverages and type I endometrial cancer, reported from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in Minneapolis. Studies in the past linked the increase of obesity in women who consumed sugar-based drinks, which in turn obesity elevates levels of estrogens and insulin contributing to the risk of cancer development.
CONSUMPTION OF SUGARY BEVERAGES IS DOSE-DEPENDENT
The research team gathered data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study with over 23,000 postmenopausal females, before being diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Assessing their dietary intake, researchers organized sugary drink consumption patterns of women into quintiles, ranging from 0 (lowest) to 60.5 (highest) servings per week.
Research showed that 506 women developed type I and 89 women developed type II endometrial cancers.
Overall the women who described the greatest intake of sugary beverages experienced a 78 percent increased possibility of producing type I endometrial cancer.
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE TO AVOID THE RISK?
The U.S. National Library of Medicine reports that most endometrial cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, when the one-year survival rate is about 92 percent. For cancerous cells that have spread to distant organs, the five-year survival rate is 23 percent.
Though more research needs to be conducted to validate the true cause of type I endometrial cancer, women can take precautionary steps to reduce their risk. Postmenopausal women can begin by limiting their intake of sugary beverages, including diet-based drinks. Everything from soda to fruit punch, sugar-based liquids can be replaced with water or non-sugar beverages.
Women who are obese can start leading a healthier lifestyle and remove the unwanted fat cells from troubled areas through liposuction. Multiple techniques of body fat removal are available to reduce deposits of fat that are irremovable through healthy diet and exercise. Learn more about how to extinguish excess body fat left from sugary beverages during consultation.
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