London: A new study has revealed that girls who drink a can and a half of sugary cola, lemonade or other fizzy drinks a day are increasing their risk of breast cancer.

The study at Harvard Medical School found that around half a litre a day of sugary cola, lemonade or other fizzy drinks cause early puberty and increases breast cancer risks in girls by 5 percent for each year they mature earlier, the Mirror reported.

Researcher Karin Michels said that their study adds to increasing concern about the widespread consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks among children.

Drinks with added sugar ramp up insulin concentration in the body, leading to higher concentrations of sex hormones, which are normally associated with periods starting earlier, a condition that is on the rise in developed countries.

Michels added that unlike most other predictors, sugar-sweetened beverages consumption can be modified and this research shows that it's even more important that children switch to water.