Soda and fatty liver: Drinking as little as one can of diet soda a day may raise the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MASLD) by about 60%, while a daily sugary soft drink could increase risk by roughly 50%, according to new, yet-to-be-published research presented at United European Gastroenterology Week in Berlin.
NAFLD, now often termed metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), occurs when fat accumulates in the liver in people who consume little or no alcohol. The condition can progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer and is estimated to affect ~38% of Americans, after rising around 50% over the past three decades.
Also Read | What’s the difference between alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver?
The study, led by Lihe Liu of the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, tracked nearly 124,000 UK Biobank participants without baseline liver disease for about 10 years, using repeated 24-hour diet recalls to gauge beverage intake.
Researchers reported that swapping water for sweetened drinks was linked to a 13% lower risk (for sugary beverages) and >15% lower risk (for diet drinks), whereas switching between sugary and diet sodas did not cut risk. An abstract also linked diet drink consumption to a higher risk of liver-related death.
Experts not involved in the work called the findings noteworthy due to the large, prospective design and validated disease assessment, but cautioned that the results are preliminary until peer-reviewed and published. They also stressed the study cannot prove cause and effect.
Sugary drinks can spike glucose and insulin, drive weight gain, and promote fat buildup in the liver. Low- or no-calorie sweetened beverages may still affect liver health by altering the gut microbiome, blunting satiety, increasing preference for sweet tastes, or stimulating insulin release. Water, by contrast, supports hydration and metabolic function without these effects.