Soda linked to cancer says new U of M-led study

Sugar may be to blame but people who drink sweetened sodas regularly often have other poor health habits, said Mark Pereira of the University of Minnesota, who led the study.

"The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth," Pereira said in a statement.

It did not take into consideration other cancer risk factors among subjects, like smoking and red meat consumption, however.

The study followed over 60,000 people in Singapore for over a dozen years. Findings were reported in the journal "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention."