Study: Soda Consumption May Have Additional Health Risks

02/08/2010

Consumers have long known that they can avoid serious health problems like obesity and diabetes by enjoying sweetened soft drinks only in moderation. However, one recent study is suggesting that such products could have more of an implication for medical trouble and health insurance costs than previously suspected.

Reuters recently did an article on a study of 60,000 people in Singapore which found that people who have two or more sweetened soft drinks on average per week have a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The article noted that researchers are not sure if soda alone was the risk factor here, since people who consume a large amount of it also tend to have other unhealthy habits as well. One theory put forward was that the amount of sugar in these soft drinks could increase the body's insulin levels, in turn elevating the danger of pancreatic cancer.

For people who are concerned about their long-term health, this is one more reason to steer clear of large amounts of soda.

While cancer and diabetes are both serious medical problems, they are also conditions that are likely to result in substantially higher health insurance costs over time.

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