Diet sodas will not help you lose weight: Study

People who drink diet soda to cut back on calories may be undoing their own good intentions, a new study suggests. Researchers report that those who opted for low-calorie soft drinks ended up eating more foods loaded with sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol. "It may be that people who consume diet beverages feel justified in eating more, so they reach for a muffin or a bag of chips," study author Ruopeng An, a kinesiology and community health professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said in a university news release. "Or perhaps, in order to feel satisfied, they feel compelled to eat more of these high-calorie foods."
"This study, based on surveys of Americans and their diets, proved something that is well known: many people eat things that 'are not required by the human body,' " William Dermody Jr., vice president of policy at the ABA, said in a statement. "But from that unsurprising observation, the author leaps to the unproven and unsubstantiated claim that diet soda 'may' be why people choose to eat a range of other foods such as french fries or doughnuts rather than eat exclusively from the major food groups," Dermody added.
Dermody said previous research has shown that diet sodas are an effective tool to help people lose weight and maintain weight loss. In conducting the study, the researchers examined government data collected on the eating habits of more than 22,000 adults in the United States. The participants were asked to report everything they ate or drank on two different days.
Specifically, total calorie intake and the participants' choice of beverages -- including coffee, tea, sugar-free drinks, sugary beverages and alcohol -- were analyzed. The researchers also considered consumption of discretionary foods, which are calorically dense but low in nutritional value, such as cookies, ice cream, fries, pastries and chocolate.
The study found that those who drink diet beverages may not actually be "saving" any calories because the foods they eat have more sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol.

Health Day

 

Diet sodas will not help you lose weight: Study

People who drink diet soda to cut back on calories may be undoing their own good intentions, a new study suggests. Researchers report that those who opted for low-calorie soft drinks ended up eating more foods loaded with sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol. It may be that people who consume diet beverages feel justified in eating more, so they reach for a muffin or a bag of chips, study author Ruopeng An, a kinesiology and community health professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said in a university news release. Or perhaps, in order to feel satisfied, they feel compelled to eat more of these high-calorie foods. This study, based on surveys of Americans and their diets, proved something that is well known: many people eat things that are not required by the human body, William Dermody Jr., vice president of policy at the ABA, said in a statement. But from that unsurprising observation, the author leaps to the unproven and unsubstantiated claim that diet soda may be why people choose to eat a range of other foods such as french fries or doughnuts rather than eat exclusively from the major food groups, Dermody added. Dermody said previous research has shown that diet sodas are an effective tool to help people lose weight and maintain weight loss. In conducting the study, the researchers examined government data collected on the eating habits of more than 22,000 adults in the United States. The participants were asked to report everything they ate or drank on two different days. Specifically, total calorie intake and the participants choice of beverages -- including coffee, tea, sugar-free drinks, sugary beverages and alcohol -- were analyzed. The researchers also considered consumption of discretionary foods, which are calorically dense but low in nutritional value, such as cookies, ice cream, fries, pastries and chocolate. The study found that those who drink diet beverages may not actually be saving any calories because the foods they eat have more sugar, salt, fat and cholesterol. Health Day