Diet Soda & Weight Gain

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Registered: 12-31-1998
Diet Soda & Weight Gain
9
Fri, 06-24-2005 - 11:32am

By Daniel DeNoon
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Charlotte Grayson, MD
on Monday, June 13, 2005

June 13, 2005 -- People who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight. In fact, they gain weight, a new study shows.

The findings come from eight years of data collected by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio. Fowler reported the data at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association in San Diego.

"What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."

In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas.

"There was a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says.

More Diet Drinks, More Weight Gain

Fowler's team looked at seven to eight years of data on 1,550 Mexican-American and non-Hispanic white Americans aged 25 to 64. Of the 622 study participants who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study, about a third became overweight or obese.

For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

26% for up to 1/2 can each day
30.4% for 1/2 to one can each day
32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day
47.2% for more than 2 cans each day.
For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

36.5% for up to 1/2 can each day
37.5% for 1/2 to one can each day
54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day
57.1% for more than 2 cans each day.
For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41%.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-22-2005
Fri, 06-24-2005 - 12:22pm
I have an Aunt who was addicted to diet soda and would drink 3+ 6-packs a day and would never lose weight as well as always being hungry. Her doctor told her that drinking that much carbonated soda would not allow her stomach to shrink and promotes hunger pangs. And, it contributed to her gaining belly fat (I don't know why). Of all my vices, I am thankful that I don't have to battle the soda monster! I'm a H2o gal. LK
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Registered: 08-31-2004
Fri, 06-24-2005 - 2:42pm
Well that isnt want I want to hear!
Avatar for gypsy51
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-31-1998
Fri, 06-24-2005 - 5:11pm

I know. I don't drink much soda, never have, but I've been buying a bottle of diet Coke once in a while. It usually takes me 3 or 4 days to drink a half liter bottle. I told DH about this and he said that it may be because the body needs a certain amount of sugar so when we don't get it from the soda we look for it from somewhere else. Not sure if that's true of not, but I told him if I want a soda I think I'll just treat myself to a regular one.

Susanne

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Registered: 05-25-2004
Fri, 06-24-2005 - 5:17pm

Oh no.... here I was all proud that I'm down to one 20 oz diet coke a day- that's my fix..... dang it!


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2004
Sat, 06-25-2005 - 4:05pm
I'm curious as to WHY this researcher has come to these conclusions. What is it about diet soda that is supposed to CAUSE weight gain? The most plausible explanation I've heard on this Board is the doctor who spoke about the stomach not being allowed to shrink due to the carbination. That's even curious to me since we burp out the carb rather quickly. Most diet sodas are low sodium and zero calorie. I wonder if it's the nutrasweet? When saccarin was used, I don't remember drinkers having a problem with weight gain. Maybe the switch over to Splenda being the sweetener will make a difference. I'll admit that I'd love to find research to prove this obesity/diet soda theory wrong since I really like my diet pop - all kinds! Kristi :o) <><
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2005
Sat, 06-25-2005 - 6:39pm
I'm curious as to what is increasing the risk??
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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Sat, 06-25-2005 - 7:34pm

>>>Maybe this risk is connected to people who don't understand healthy eating in general.

Avatar for gypsy51
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-31-1998
Sun, 06-26-2005 - 1:04am

I've heard, and no I don't have a reference to it, that some studies have shown that artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite so people who use them tend to eat more calories. Whether this is true or not, I don't know. Once again every body reacts differently.

DH thinks that since the body needs some sugar maybe people compensate by getting the sugar somewhere else and unknowingly increase their calories.

Susanne

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Registered: 07-01-2003
Sun, 06-26-2005 - 3:52am

I don't buy that diet soda in itself causes weight gain, cuz as already mentioned in this post, it has no calories. But i did notice that when i diet without diet pop, i tend to lose more weight faster. Am i unconcously taking in more calories cuz i know i've been "good" with diet pop? I believe i might be. Ok i'll cut down on diet soda this week and see if there is a difference.

Mary
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