Diet versions of beverages are often hailed as healthier than the sugar-sweetened original versions.
Recent study results identified a link between drinking higher amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages and low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages and an increased risk for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)Trusted Source involves a buildup of fat in the liver that did not result from drinking alcohol. People with this condition have a possible risk for more significant liver problems or other conditions like cardiovascular disease.
A recent study focused on how sugar-sweetened and low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages related to liver health. Based on analysis of over 103,000 participants, higher consumption of both beverage types was linked to a higher risk for MASLD.
Additionally, low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages were linked to a greater risk for liver-related mortality. While the study hasn’t been published yet, the findings shed light on the potential risks of these beverages, particularly low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages.
The study results were presented at UEG Week 2025, the annual congress of United European Gastroenterology. They are yet to appear in a peer-reviewed journal.
This study was a prospective cohort study where researchers used data from the UK Biobank. Researchers examined data from 103,251 participants who did not have baseline liver disease. The median follow-up was a little over 10 years, and during this time “949 participants developed MASLD, and 103 died from liver-related causes.”
Participants reported on their consumption of sugar-sweetened and low or non-sugar-sweetened beverages. Researchers were also able to consider participants’ liver fat content based on MRI data.
Researchers looked at the associations between drinking these beverages and someone’s risk for MASLD. They also looked at liver-related mortality and liver-fat content and their association with the related beverages.
