Fizzy soft drinks might taste good, but we all know they’re not good for us. The added sugar in soft drinks can lead to unhealthy weight gain and even obesity. But that’s not all. Researchers are finding that having just one soft drink a day can increase risk of cancer. 

In a study conducted at the Cancer Council Victoria and University of Melbourne, researchers observed over 35,000 Australians. In this group, the study observed 3,283 cases of cancer related to obesity.

Initially, researchers believed that consuming sugary soft drinks would lead to obesity, which would place the individual at a higher risk for 13 specific cancers.

However, the study found that one soft drink a day could increase the risk of cancer independent of obesity.

They came to this conclusion after adjusting the statistics for waist circumference. Therefore, irrespective of a person’s size, soft drinks had a positive association with cancer risk. What’s more, the more soft drinks an individual consumed, the higher their risk for cancer was, too.

The study found that artificially sweetened soft drinks don’t have the same positive association with cancer risk. This leads scientists to believe that the added sugar in soft drinks is what contributes to higher risks of cancer.  However, further studies are necessary to confirm this.

Researchers concluded their study saying, “Our results add to the justification to minimize intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks.” So, no matter what your body size, consider cutting back on soft drinks for your overall health and wellness.