Investigators Conclude Diet Drinks May Contribute To Weight Gain

Academic investigators from Imperial College London and a couple Brazilian universities (Federal University of Pelotas and University of Sao Paulo) have issued a commentary on current research, and guidelines for sweetened drinks.

In the commentary, sweetened drinks include artificially-sweetened beverages (ASBs) that contain no sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Though ASBs, or diet drinks are typically considered a healthier choice for people lowering sugar intake, or trying to lose weight, the investigators disagree with this assumption.

“A common perception, which may be influenced by industry marketing, is that because ‘diet’ drinks have no sugar, they must be healthier and aid weight loss when used as a substitute for full sugar versions. However, we found no solid evidence to support this,” said Professor Christopher Millett, Imperial’s School of Public Health.


There is a concern that the lack of calories in ASBs promotes weight gain by stimulating our sweet taste receptors, triggering increased food intake to compensate for the missing calories. Plus, an awareness of a diet drink’s low-calorie content can lead to an over-indulgence in other foods. In these ways, ASBs may contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic, obesity-related health problems.

After outlining current data on the effects of drinking ASBs, Millett and colleagues found no direct evidence for an ASB role in weight gain, but also found no evidence that weight reduction, or weight gain prevention was aided by ASBs when compared to SSBs. The investigators point out the dearth of definitive evidence on ASB health effects, and the potential bias of industry backed research should be carefully considered when discussing whether diet drinks are a suitable SSB alternative.


“Far from helping to solve the global obesity crisis, ASBs may be contributing to the problem and should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet,” wrote the investigators.

Sources: Science Daily


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...