Do Sugary Drinks Cause Cancer? My Interview Live on BBC Breakfast!

Yesterday morning I was on the BBC Breakfast sofa discussing the latest headlines thanks to a new study from France who looked at the diets of over 100,000 people and here is what I said!

? It certainly sounds scary doesn’t it? And although we’ve known for a while that too much sugar isn’t good for us, the way in which this study was done means that it can’t prove that sugary drinks alone cause cancer, it can only show an association; so something else the study showed is that the people who drank the sugary drinks also consumed more calories as well as salt; so the people who were having these sugary drinks may for example have been having them along side takeaways or fast-food, at the expense of meals containing more fibre and vegetables which we know protect us against cancer.?

✔️The study supports the notion that as a nation we should be cutting down on sugary drinks; as they don’t provide any nutrients, are easy to over-consume and lead to problems with your teeth as well. This is in line with the sugar tax which is there to encourage manufacturers to reformulate and protect consumers rather than penalise them.?

?We are reminded that fruit juice should be kept to no more than 1 small glass a day; although it provides some fibre & vitamins eating the whole fruit is better; it takes longer to eat and provides more fibre.

??‍♀️Sugary drinks shouldn’t be drunk regularly; ideally, people should be having water or at the very least a no added sugar squash or the diet or zero alternatives which aren’t, and weren’t in this study specifically, associated with cancer risk.

TAKE ACTION:

✅ If you add sugar to your tea or coffee can you reduce the amount or not add any at all? ☕️
✅ If you’re buying a fizzy drink can you choose the diet or zero equivalent?
✅ If you’re having a glass of fresh fruit juice to keep it to no more than 150ml.
✅ Can you drink more water over the day to stay hydrated? ?

Do you drink sugary drinks? ? What do you make of the study?

PS Check out the BBC News website for more info on the study!