You might want to skip your afternoon soda.

Even moderate amounts of artificially sweetened and sugary drinks are both associated with an increased risk of liver disease, according to a new study.

As little as 9 ounces of a sugary drink per day raises the risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by 50%, while the same amount of a single diet soda could raise the risk by 60%, according to new research presented Oct. 6 at the 2025 United European Gastroenterology Week conference in Berlin, Germany. A standard can of soda is 12 ounces.

MASLD, formally known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition where fat accumulates in the liver, and is the most common global form of liver disease. The damage can lead to severe liver scarring, or cirrhosis, similar to the effects of heavy alcohol use.

“Our study shows that LNSSBs were actually linked to a higher risk of MASLD, even at modest intake levels such as a single can per day," according to lead author of the study, Lihe Liu, a graduate student in the Department of Gastroenterology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.

Sugary drinks have been under scrutiny

News surrounding the health risks of soda isn't new. The fizzy bubbles in your favorite drinks are caused by carbon dioxide gas − a chemical compound that, along with many other ingredients within soda, affects one's stomach more than some might realize. And added sugars like cane and high-fructose corn syrup can have negative health effects.

"Your body processes them similarly, but fructose is primarily metabolized in the liver. When consumed in excess, especially from sugary drinks and other concentrated sources, fructose can promote fat accumulation in the liver, a key contributor to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease," Dr. Wesley McWhorter, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, previously told USA TODAY.

The new insights about sodas have come up amid a heightened focus on what goes into Americans' diets. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s is leading the Trump administration's push to eliminate certain food ingredients, like artificial dyes. The administration's effort lead to Coca-Cola agreeing in July to use cane sugar in its American sodas.

Even so, diet options may give us an impression we're avoiding some of the bad. But the science says otherwise.

“(Sugar-sweetened beverages) have long been under scrutiny, while their ‘diet’ alternatives are often seen as the healthier choice. Both, however, are widely consumed and their effects on liver health have not been well understood," Liu said in a statement.

Perhaps the best thing to do is when you feel a quench of thirst, reach for a glass of water. And if you must satisfy that Diet Coke craving, do so in moderation.

Contributing: Daryl Austin, Mary Walrath-Holdridge

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sorry soda lovers, less than 1 can a day could cause this health problem, new study says

Reporting by Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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