Artificially Sweetened Beverage Consumption and Cancer Risk: A Comprehensive Dose–Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies

The impact of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs), alternatives to sugar-sweetened beverages, on cancer incidence remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies to assess the association of daily ASB intake with cancer risk. A systematic search was performed between January 1967 and September 2022. Risk ratios (RR) or hazard ratios (HR) were extracted and pooled. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was used for the assessment of the certainty of evidence. The study was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022312171). Overall, 14 articles with 17 cohorts were included. There was no significant association between daily ASB consumption and risk of overall cancer (highest versus lowest category: n = 17, RR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.96–1.11, p = 0.407). For site-specific cancer analysis, the risk of non-lymphoid leukemia was elevated with high ASB intake (n = 3, RR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03–1.77, p = 0.030), while risk of colorectal cancer was decreased (n = 3, RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62–0.99, p = 0.037). Dose–response analysis indicated a positive linear association between ASB intake and the risk of leukemia (p(-linear) = 0.027). The risk increased by 15% per one serving (355 mL) daily ASB intake increment (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.30). In conclusion, ASB consumption might be positively associated with the risk of leukemia and negatively associated with the risk of colorectal cancer.