New research presented at the 2025 United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Week in Berlin links both sugar-sweetened and low/non-sugar-sweetened beverages to an increased risk of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and liver-related mortality.

• Consumption of over 250 grams per day of low/non-sugar-sweetened beverages (LNSSBs) or sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) was linked to a 60 percent and 50 percent higher risk of MASLD, respectively.
• The study analyzed data from 123,788 participants in the UK Biobank over a median follow-up of 10.3 years.
• Lead author Lihe Liu, a graduate researcher at the Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University in Suzhou, China, stated that replacing these drinks with water could reduce MASLD risk by approximately 13 to 15 percent.