For Those Who Drink Diet Sodas

shorerider
shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Found this recent article in the NY Times by following some links seeking information on another issue. Astonishingly, this recent study found that women who drink 1 Diet Soda a day were as likely to develop health issues as those who ate fried foods, lots of red meat, etc. !


February 5, 2008
Vital Signs
Symptoms: Metabolic Syndrome Is Tied to Diet Soda
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome — the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure.

The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years.

Over all, a Western dietary pattern — high intakes of refined grains, fried foods and red meat — was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome, while a “prudent” diet dominated by fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry correlated with neither an increased nor a decreased risk.

But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.

“This is interesting,” said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22. “Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?”

Replies

  • shorerider
    shorerider Posts: 3,817 Member
    Found this recent article in the NY Times by following some links seeking information on another issue. Astonishingly, this recent study found that women who drink 1 Diet Soda a day were as likely to develop health issues as those who ate fried foods, lots of red meat, etc. !


    February 5, 2008
    Vital Signs
    Symptoms: Metabolic Syndrome Is Tied to Diet Soda
    By NICHOLAS BAKALAR

    Researchers have found a correlation between drinking diet soda and metabolic syndrome — the collection of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes that include abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and blood glucose levels, and elevated blood pressure.

    The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years.

    Over all, a Western dietary pattern — high intakes of refined grains, fried foods and red meat — was associated with an 18 percent increased risk for metabolic syndrome, while a “prudent” diet dominated by fruits, vegetables, fish and poultry correlated with neither an increased nor a decreased risk.

    But the one-third who ate the most fried food increased their risk by 25 percent compared with the one-third who ate the least, and surprisingly, the risk of developing metabolic syndrome was 34 percent higher among those who drank one can of diet soda a day compared with those who drank none.

    “This is interesting,” said Lyn M. Steffen, an associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota and a co-author of the paper, which was posted online in the journal Circulation on Jan. 22. “Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?”
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
    OUCH! You're killing me here!! Taking away my diet soda like that!! Really good post..very informative...
  • barracudamuscle
    barracudamuscle Posts: 313 Member
    Well slap my butt and call me smalls, your killing me homes! You know what though, I only have one every couple days and after all the anthrax shots, and other various "required" military deployment shots I think diet soda is the least of my worries, gonna die of something I hope its in my sleep like my grand pa, not like his screaming passengers in the back of the car!:laugh: :drinker:
  • kalnfitz
    kalnfitz Posts: 8
    OMG yikes!!!! That is like my one allowable "crutch", but how scary is that, and that only "1 per day" gave those results too! :noway:
  • timisw
    timisw Posts: 391 Member
    Too much of ANYTHING (even healthy foods or water) will kill you!

    Just use the rule of moderation!

    If your drinking 4 to 8 32oz sodas (diet or regular), your probably getting a lot of worthless stuff into your body!!!

    I like the fact that one can skew anything (like statistics) with the Internet cause there is so much information out there these days!
  • Dropka
    Dropka Posts: 72
    i'm not giving up my one can a day of diet soda... I don't care what they say. I HAVE TO HAVE IT!
  • KrisKabob
    KrisKabob Posts: 1,250 Member
    I am one of those diet soda drinkers, myself. :bigsmile: However, I try to only have one here and there... you know, when I really need it (for a caffine boost or to stop a craving). :wink: I may go a few days and have one each day... or sometimes I go a week or two and not have one - it just depends on my situation and mood. :grumble: Haha! :laugh:

    There are A LOT of cautions out there when it comes to diet "anything" so I have to say... I'm sorry but I will continue with my diet soda. :happy: But I really appreciate the information... great post, shorerider!

    :heart: KB

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