The studies have been out for years, but a recent NYTimes article reminded me that drinking Diet Soda causes one’s risk of obesity to increase. The article indicates the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, (which is basically just a group of risk factors for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, etc) was 34% higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none. That’s higher than the risk increased by eating fried foods. Those in the study who ate a lot of fried foods increased their risk by 25%.
A different study found that for each can of diet soda consumed each day, a person’s risk of obesity went up 41%. For regular soda drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:
- 26% for up to 1/2 can each day
- 30.4% for 1/2 to 1 can each day
- 32.8% for 1 to 2 cans each day
- 47.2% for more than 2 cans each day.
For diet soda 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 1 can each day
- 54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day
- 57.1% for more than 2 cans each day.
However, correlation does not imply causation. No study concludes that diet soda causes metabolic syndrome. Yet.
