Overview

• Using UK Biobank data from 123,788 adults without baseline liver disease, researchers tracked beverage intake over roughly a decade.
• Sugar‑sweetened beverages were associated with about a 50% higher risk of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).
• Low‑ or non‑sugar‑sweetened beverages showed an even stronger link, with about a 60% higher MASLD risk and a higher rate of liver‑related death.
• Across participants, both drink types correlated with greater liver fat content, and 108 liver‑related deaths were recorded during follow‑up.
• Study authors advised limiting both beverage types, noting that substituting water was associated with up to a 15% lower liver disease risk.