One and a half cans of fizzy drink a day raises breast cancer risk

Sugary cola, lemonade or other fizzy drinks endangers health by causing early puberty and girls’ chances of developing breast cancer increase 5% for each year they mature earlier

Girls who drink a can and a half of pop a day are increasing their risk of breast cancer , researchers warn.

Around half a litre a day of sugary cola, lemonade or other fizzy drinks endangers health by causing early puberty, according to a Harvard Medical School study.

Girls’ chances of developing breast cancer increase 5% for each year they mature earlier, scientists found, so anything making this more likely is an extra risk.

Professor Karin Michels said: “Our study adds to increasing concern about the widespread consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among children.”

Drinks with added sugar ramp up insulin concentration in the body, leading to higher concentrations of sex hormones. These hormones are normally associated with periods starting earlier – a condition that is on the rise in developed countries.

The study found girls who had more than 1.5 servings of pop a day had their first period nearly three months earlier than those who drank two or less a week.

The average age was 12.8 for those who drank most, and 13 for those drinking the least, according to the US study of 5,583 girls aged nine to 14.

Dr Michels said: “Unlike most other predictors, sugar-sweetened beverages consumption can be modified.

“This research shows that it’s even more important that children switch to water.”

Previous studies have shown that girls who begin their periods before the age of 12 have a 30% greater chance of getting breast cancer.

Many experts believe that during earlier-than-normal development the body may be more susceptible to risks that could lead to cancer in later life.

The UK-based Institute of Cancer Research discovered last year that developing breasts at 10 or younger increases breast cancer risk by 20%.

A study in Canada last year revealed women who have more than three sugary drinks a week may have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.