Diet soda associated with metabolic syndrome

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.

Read the New York Times summary article or the original paper.

There was a correlation found between a typical "western" diet with lots of fried foods, refined grains and meat, whereas no correlation was found with a "prudent" diet that included more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. There was a negative correlation between dairy intake and metabolic syndrome (i.e. dairy appears to reduce the risk). There was also a correlation found between diet soda intake and metabolic syndrome, something that was not anticipated, and particularly surprising considering that sweetened beverages by themselves did not show a correlation.

This is a large (9514 participants) study, and the results have a strong statistical significance.

My Journal: Jheft's Heftorium

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." -- Mark Twain

Thank you jheft!

 I love when there is good news for dairy (if I understood the paper correctly), and bad news for foods I don't like, like diet soda!

Why is this forum set up to require moderator approval before posting?

My Journal: Jheft's Heftorium

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." -- Mark Twain

Here's another study. This one found that in rats artificial sweeteners (or specifically, saccharin) seemed to interfere with the body's ability to estimate how many calories had been eaten. The effect caused rats who got saccharin to get fatter and more unhealthy than those that got sugar (in the form of glucose).

My Journal: Jheft's Heftorium

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." -- Mark Twain