Could Diet Soda Cause Diabetes, Too?

Diet soda was once thought to be a healthy alternative to regular, high fructose corn syrup-sweetened sodas such as Coke and Pepsi. However, new research is suggesting that this might not be the case.
Earlier this year, a study came out talking about diet soda drinkers being more likely to gain weight. Now researchers have found something even more puzzling – those who drink at least one soda, regular or diet, at least once a day have a 50 percent higher risk for metabolic syndrome. (MSNBC) Characteristics of metabolic syndrome include having excessive fat around the waist and high blood pressure. It is thought to be the precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Now, it’s obvious there’s some sort of correlation here, but it’s not to say that drinking diet soda automatically makes you fat and sick. One school of thought is that people who drink diet soda are more likely to crave and eat sweet foods – which would also explain the weight gain.
These are interesting studies, but more work needs to be done to find out exactly why researchers are coming up with these conclusions. Until someone can show me exactly how my Diet Pepsi is leading me to an early grave, I’ll keep drinking.
What do you think?

Claire

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