BOSTON—Previous studies examining the link between coffee, soda and tea consumption with increased risk of colon cancer have had disparate conclusions. Some showed an increased risk; others did not. In an effort to resolve the disparity, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reviewed data from 13 studies conducted in North America and Europe, with a total of 731,441 participants.
The researchers concluded that drinking more than six 8-oz. cups of coffee or 18 oz. of sweetened soft drinks is not associated with a risk of colon cancer. They did find a modest association with consumption of more than four 8-oz. cups of non-herbal tea and risk of colon cancer, a finding the researchers said requires further study.