High Intake of Sweetened Beverages Linked to Increased Risk for MASLD

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- High intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and low- or non-sugar-sweetened beverages (LNSSBs) is associated with an increased risk for incident metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), according to a study presented at UEG Week, the annual meeting of United European Gastroenterology, held from Oct. 4 to 7 in Berlin.Lihe Liu, M.D., D.Phil., M.P.H., from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in China, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study of 103,251 U.K. Biobank participants free of baseline liver disease to examine the associations between SSB and LNSSB intake and the risk for incident MASLD and liver-related mortality.The researchers found that 949 participants developed MASLD and 103 died from liver-related causes during a median 10.3-year follow-up. Associations were seen for higher intake of LNSSBs (>330 g/day) and SSBs (>330 g/day) with elevated MASLD risk (hazard ratios, 1.597 and 1.502, respectively). Increased liver-related mortality risk was also seen in association with LNSSB consumption in a dose-dependent manner. Positive associations were seen for both beverages with liver fat content. The risk for MASLD was significantly reduced by 14.7 and 13.5 percent, respectively, by replacing 330 g/day of SSBs or LNSSBs with water."The higher sugar content in SSBs can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose and insulin, promote weight gain, and increase uric acid levels, all of which contribute to liver fat accumulation," Liu said in a statement. "LNSSBs, on the other hand, may affect liver health by altering the gut microbiome, disrupting the feeling of fullness, driving sweet cravings, and even stimulating insulin secretion."Press ReleaseMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter