Breast Cancer Diagnosis? Avoid soft drinks | BRIGITTE.de

Breast cancer diagnosis
That’s why you should now avoid soft drinks

by Stephanie Pingel

May 25, 2021, 3:55 pm

After a breast cancer diagnosis, the world usually stands still for those affected. Questions arise about the right treatment options and also about what you should pay attention to in everyday life in order to support the therapy. Researchers at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston have an important tip: Accordingly, the consumption of sugary drinks can increase the risk of death for breast cancer patients.

Study with 8,863 women

Overall participated in the investigation, which was published in the trade magazine Cancer appeared, 8,863 women with stage I to III breast cancer participated. The participants completed a questionnaire every four years after their breast cancer diagnosis. in which it was about their food and drink consumption. After a period of 11.5 years, 2,482 of the women had died, 1,050 of which could be traced back to breast cancer.

Just one sugary soft drink a day increases the risk of death

It was noticeable that the study participants who consumed more sugary drinks had a higher risk of death from breast cancer as well as the so-called total mortality rate than women who did not drink sugary drinks. And the amount obviously only plays a subordinate role. Even women who consumed only one sugary drink a day had an almost 30 percent higher risk of breast cancer mortality than women who avoided such drinks altogether.

“These women should no longer drink sugary drinks or reduce their consumption,” says study author Dr. Maryam S. Farvid together. But if you don’t want to do without sugary drinks at all – could low-calorie drinks or drinks with other types of sugar (such as lactose or fructose) reduce the risk of death? Unfortunately not according to the data. Therefore, women with breast cancer should avoid soft drinks containing sugar as a matter of principle.

The situation is different when it comes to consuming coffee or tea: if women replace one portion of a sugary drink with coffee or tea a day, the risk of death from breast cancer decreased by 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively. As expected, water is also a healthy alternative.

Generally be careful if you are overweight

In addition, the study authors confirm once again with their study that the consumption of beverages containing sugar can promote weight gain. Overweight and obesity have been linked to a worsening breast cancer prognosis – therefore this connection could further increase the risk of death in the event of a breast cancer diagnosis.

Sources used: specialist magazine Cancer, Gesundheitsstadt-berlin.de