Approximately 30,000 Americans die each year from pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate, often because it is not detected until late stages of the disease. Previous studies suggest that hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hyperinsulinemia (excessive insulin) may raise the risk of pancreatic cancer. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and helps regulate blood sugar. High blood sugar is known to increase insulin demand and decrease insulin sensitivity. Now research reports that a high daily intake of sugar and sugary foods can increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, investigated whether added sugar and high sugar foods are associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden analyzed the data of 77,797 Swedish adults ages 45 to 83 years as part of a population-based cohort study. The participants were followed from 1997 to June 2005. Food frequency questionnaires obtained from the participants were analyzed to determine nutrient intake.
The researchers found that 131 participants developed pancreatic cancer. Findings revealed that participants who consumed sugary drinks twice daily had a 93 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer, compared to those who didn't drink them. Furthermore, participants who added sugar to their foods or drinks five times or more daily had a 69 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer.
"High consumption of sugar and high-sugar foods may be associated with a greater risk of pancreatic cancer," the study authors conclude.
REFERENCES:
1. Larsson SC et al. Consumption of sugar and sugar-sweetened foods and the risk of pancreatic cancer in a prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr 2006 Nov;84(5):1171-6.
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on March 14, 2007 02:12 PM
