HHS HealthBeat (June 02, 2006)

Safe on soda

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

For a change, here's something not to worry about. Researchers have looked into whether drinking soda causes cancer of the esophagus. They've decided it doesn't.

The idea that soft drinks were linked to cancers in the tube from your mouth to your stomach came from similar increasing rates. The theory was that acid and carbonation might be at fault.

So researcher Susan Mayne of Yale examined data on cancer patients and people who did not have cancer:

"We really saw no evidence that soft drink consumption increased the risk of this cancer.'' (five seconds)

So should you drink soda? Sorry, soda lovers. Mayne notes regular soda may promote obesity – and even sugar-free soda has acid that can rot your teeth.

Her findings, which were supported by the National Institutes of Health, were in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: August, 15 2006