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The more populations have aged the more cancer rates have risen, but a drop in diagnosis during the pandemic has led to an outbreak of concern over a potential decline in survival rates. The dip in cancer diagnoses suggests that the majority of cases will now be diagnosed at later stages of the disease, when it is harder to treat. Protective measures against cancer are scarce, but diet has proven an effective buffer against cancer. In some cases however, it has been identified as the culprit. Sugary drinks, including fruit juices, have been shown to hike the risk of the deadly disease by 22 percent.
A study published in the medical journal warned that fruit juices could act as a key driver in the proliferation of cancer, with fruit juices showing the same association with cancer as coca-colas.
Researchers probing the effects of sugar-sweetened drinks or fruit juice determined the beverages could increase the risk of cancer by 18 percent.
The researchers, from the French Public Health Agency in France, evaluated data from more than 101,000 recipients, 79 percent of whom were women.
At the outset of the study, participants were asked to fill out questionnaires that assessed their intake of more than 3000 different food and drink items.
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The subjects were asked to fill out the questionnaires every six months during a follow-up period of five years.
Findings revealed that the average person consumes nearly 93 ml of sugary drinks, or 100 percent fruit juice per day.
Natural fruit juice contains naturally occurring sugars, while sugary drinks usually comprise a cocktail of sugar and additives, to enhance the flavour and colour of the beverage.
The researchers were able to determine that every extra 100 ml on top of the widely consumed 93 ml was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for all cancers, and a 22 percent increased risk for breast cancer among women.
The findings were consistent after underlying factors, including weight gain, were accounted for.
The researchers said: “When the group of sugary drinks was split into 100 percent fruit juices and other sugar drinks, the consumption of both beverage types was associated with a higher risk of overall cancer.”
Doctor Mathilde Touvier, leader of the study, added: “As usual with nutrition, the idea is not to avoid foods, just to balance the intake.
“The recommendation from several public health agencies is to consume less than one drink per day.
“The main drive of the association seems to be sugar, so when we just look at the sugar content per 100ml, regular Coke of 100 percent orange juice, for instance, are quite the same. So it’s not that we observe this association for fruit juices.”
Public health agencies say that fruit juices remain a healthier alternative to fizzy drinks because they contain some fibre and vitamins, explained Touvier.
The researchers suggested the link could be down to some biological factors, such as the effect of sugar on visceral fat that encases vital organs, or blood sugar levels, both of which are linked to increased cancer risk.
According to figures released by the Global Burden of Disease, the consumption of sugary drinks has increased by more than 40 percent from 1990 to 2016.
It was revealed that sugary drink consumption are one of the behavioural risk factors that contributed the most to the increase in deaths and disability during that time frame.
A study published earlier this year also determined that a four-point rise in BMI could increase the risk of cancer by up to a third.
The study of more than 400,000 Britons found that obesity increases the risk of developing tens of the most common cancers.
The six markers of obesity include BMI, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio and waist, and hip circumferences.
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