Oral Cancer's New Adversary: The Sweet and Hidden Risks of Sugary Drinks
Recent findings highlight a surprising villain in the rising numbers of oral cancer cases: sugary drinks. A study from the University of Washington reveals that women who consume one or more sugary beverages daily are at a significantly heightened risk—4.87 times more, to be exact—of developing oral cancer compared to those who indulge less than once a month. This data emerges from a robust analysis of dietary records belonging to 162,602 women over thirty years, of which 124 cases of oral cancer were documented. Notably, this risk spike persists even among individuals with minimal traditional risk factors like smoking or alcohol consumption, elevating to 5.46 times for those specific non-smokers or light drinkers who still consume sugary drinks regularly.