Many people choose sugar-free soft drinks because they contain fewer calories and no sugar.
However, a British study suggests that sugar-free soft drinks may not be as harmless as many people believe.
The study, published in the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology and cited by SosialNytt, followed more than 120,000 adults for over ten years.
The researchers emphasize that the study only shows an association and does not prove that soft drinks are the direct cause of the disease.
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What is fatty liver disease?
Fatty liver disease, also known as MASLD, occurs when fat accumulates in the liver.
Many people experience no symptoms, and the condition is often discovered only through a blood test or another medical examination, according to SosialNytt.
The researchers point out that both sugar-sweetened and sugar-free soft drinks may affect the body, although in different ways.
They therefore believe that further research is needed to better understand the association.
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The findings
The researchers found that people who drank more than 250 grams of a sweetened beverage every day had a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease.
The risk was about 50 percent higher for those who drank regular soft drinks and about 60 percent higher for those who drank sugar-free soft drinks.
At the same time, the study showed that people who replaced soft drinks with water had a lower risk of developing fatty liver disease.
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