Diet Soda is Fattening

[FundyGirl]

KATIE COURIC, CBS NEWS STORY

DIET SODAS ARE FATTENING

 

Tonight on CBS News, Katie Couric, broke the story that diet sodas are fattening and can increase risk of Metabolic Syndrome and heart disease. This was startling news to the public, and baffling to scientists.

 

Susan Feely, President of the American Beverage Association, stated "How can something with zero calories that's 99% water with a little flavoring in it . . cause weight gain?"

 

CBS quoted studies that show people who drink more than one soft drink a day had a 48 percent increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

 

DIET SODA CAUSES WEIGHT GAIN

 

New studies involving over 1,500 subjects have shown that people who drink diet soft drinks don't lose weight - in fact, they gain weight. Researchers stated "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."

 

In fact, when the researchers took a closer look at their data, they found that nearly all the obesity risk from soft drinks came from diet sodas. There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day.

 

For diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

36.5 percent for up to 1/2 can each day

37.5 percent for 1/2 to one can each day

54.5 percent for 1 to 2 cans each day

57.1 percent for more than 2 cans each day.

For each can of diet soft drink consumed each day, a person's risk of obesity went up 41 percent.

 

WHY?

 

Cephalic Response: Key Code to Obesity

 

The real issue for the soda researchers, which was addressed by Katie Couric on CBS news, was why diet sodas cause weight gain. It may be a mystery to most researchers, but the SKINNY SCIENCE research team already has the answer.

 

Clinical researchers at Glycemic Research Laboratories (GRL) know exactly why and how diet sodas cause weight gain. It's caused by the Cephalic Response, and the GRL SKINNY SCIENCE team has been studying the effects on humans for the past 20 years.

 

They, in fact, received the first patent awarded worldwide for this research.

 

With combined expertise of 90 years, the SKINNY SCIENCE team has delved into the biochemistry that causes the Cephalic Response, including the glycemic index and glycemic response of foods.

 

The CV's of the SKINNY SCIENCE researchers reads like a Who's Who, and actually includes a scientist that is listed in the Who's Who of American Inventors, the top genetic researcher in the world from NIH, and a renowned MD, PhD in Cardiovascular Pharmacology, who just won a Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

The SKINNY SCIENCE research team includes Dr. Ann de Wees Allen, Dr. Clair Francomano, and Dr. Randall Maxey. They can be found at:

 

http://www.GlycemicResearchLaboratories.com (see About Us)

http://www.Glycemic.com (Cephalic Seal)

http://www.SkinnyScience.com

 

Their clients include Hershey Foods, Proctor & Gamble, and other food giants who hire the team to determine the glycemic and fat-storing effects of their foods and beverages.

 

The SKINNY SCIENCE researchers will not reveal the results of the ongoing trials, but hint that a major company is getting ready to introduce a Non-Cephalic soda.

[Sirwinston]

The problem may be neutra sweet. Dr. Atkins advised people in "new diet revoultion" to stay clear of neutra sweet. This was years ago perhaps 2002, or before. He seemed to think splenda was fine in moderation.

Then again those who have weight control issues to begin with are the ones attracted to diet soda.

Maybe it is best to stay clear of any kind of "fake food". Drink water instead. (like people did for thousands of years).

Tom in Long Beach.

[ottergirl]

It is ironic that you post this today, the first day that I am giving up Splenda, Nutra Sweet, etc. Very hard to do when I am trying a low sugar WOE, and I am a sweets freak. I do drink a lot of water, but I like a cup or two of coffee, and then maybe hot tea, all made with Splenda, and once or twice a week, a diet soda. I noticed that at night time I am feeling VERY bloated and just yucky, even when I am watching my food intake throughout the day. I am wondering if it is the Splenda and any diet soda I might have drank that day (although I don't drink diet soda too often.)

 

So now it is water and nothing else but a little bit of milk in the morning. Call it an experiment... I also recently read that fake sugars make you more hungry. Thank you for posting this.

 

Oh- and BTW, diet coke and pepsi are worse for your teeth than regular. My dentist warned me- it is like bathing your teeth in battery acid! :eek:

[misty57]

That's it! I have heard so many people say that they lost weight when they gave up diet soda. I did give it up for a while and then went back to it. Love that diet Pepsi! But... there has to be something to it or you wouldn't hear about it so much. It doesn't make too much sense when you consider weight gain is usually related to more energy in than expended, but if it triggers some metabolic problem, there you go!. I am now officially off of the DP for good. No art. sweeteners either if I can help it!

[bUU]

I cannot find any reference to this on the CBS News website. Here's a link to the July 23 report -- it doesn't mention the GRL stuff (which reads to me like an advertisement rather than a news report or medical research summary):

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/23/health/main3089931.shtml

 

As far as I can tell, GRL attached their claims to re-packagings of the CBS report. Did anyone actually hear Katie Couric report that the GRL research had indeed successfully passed peer-review and was heading for publication? If so, does anyone know what journal the research was/is to be published in?

[gemsm]

I cannot find any reference to this on the CBS News website. Here's a link to the July 23 report -- it doesn't mention the GRL stuff (which reads to me like an advertisement rather than a news report or medical research summary):

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/23/health/main3089931.shtml

 

As far as I can tell, GRL attached their claims to re-packagings of the CBS report. Did anyone actually hear Katie Couric report that the GRL research had indeed successfully passed peer-review and was heading for publication? If so, does anyone know what journal the research was/is to be published in?

 

Actually all of the information I read claims that the study is flawed by the fact that most people who drink diet soda are generally ones with weight/exercise issues. That would be the correlation between the 2.

[alphakitty]

Is this just diet soda?? What about other diet drinks...say, Crystal Light? I've mostly switched to unsweetened iced tea or green tea...add a little lemon or peach for flavoring and natural sweetness, but I haven't dropped a pound.

[katerkat]

From my recollections of either the Low Carb Diet Solution or South Beach, the sweetness of the diet sodas and other drinks with artificial sweetners tricks the body into producing more insulin, which leads to the same weight gain as carbs do. The book recommended sticking to drinks without sweetners of any sort for the most part if you're going to go low-carb.

 

My personal addicition is sugar-free syrup in lattes. Yeah, I know, the milk in the lattes ain't that great either. But, other than those, I drink plain water 24/7.

[bUU]

Actually all of the information I read claims that the study is flawed by the fact that most people who drink diet soda are generally ones with weight/exercise issues. That would be the correlation between the 2.

That was my suspicion. The the way it was presented in the "news" sources I've seen it on it really made it seem like nothing more than opportunism by those GRL people -- not real science. I personally would recommend folks not put much stock in this "study". I drink diet sodas all the time, and I have lost over 80 pounds.

[Kudos2Fly]

What is real science? Unless it done by the FDA, its not real science?

 

I also know a friend of ours that can eat anything and everything and is as skinning at a rail..

 

My opinion is just stick to organic foods and try to stay away from sodas and any diet foods. I know how addicting sodas can be. I had coke for most of my life. I just stop doing that about 4 months ago. But have started drinking some again.. I just realize I have to stop doing that.. But sodas are not good for women for other reasons.. Its just best to stay away from sodas...

[bUU]

Real science is science that passes peer-review and is reproducible by others.

[Kudos2Fly]

That would mean any new data is bad science on that fact. Because not every new study that comes out is passing peer-review at first. Atkins was put down for years untell more people started looking at eating low carb and doing more studies on it. There are other Dr.'s that agree with Dr. Atkins..

 

I herd about diet coke 2 years ago being fattening and getting people addicted to it. I didn't herd this through CBS either.

 

But I do agree there probably should be more research on it.

[RachieLnnn]

I'm trying to stop drinking diet sodas and stick with water or unsweetened tea, but it's difficult. I decided to try mainly for the reason that water is just so much better for you and sometimes I feel like the diet soda makes me hungrier (although I don't know if it's my imagination or not).

 

I will say that I have had 1-2 diet sodas a day and have lost about 17 pounds in the last several months.

 

I think there is merit to the idea that the majority of those who drink diet sodas are those who are trying to lose weight, thus it's difficult to say that drinking diet soda DIRECTLY causes people to be overweight. There are too many other factors that go into it.

 

JMO

 

P.S. Katerkat, milk is good for you! :eek: What about all those studies that say that dairy helps fight fat?

 

P.P.S. My favorite Starbucks drink is an iced double tall non-fat sugar-free vanilla latte, less than 70 calories and no fat. I can't give up Starbucks on any diet! ;)

[bUU]

Research without passing peer-review is called advertising. :)

[RachieLnnn]

Double Post

[bUU]

Research without passing peer-review is called advertising. :)

[katerkat]

P.S. Katerkat, milk is good for you! :eek: What about all those studies that say that dairy helps fight fat?

 

P.P.S. My favorite Starbucks drink is an iced double tall non-fat sugar-free vanilla latte, less than 70 calories and no fat. I can't give up Starbucks on any diet! ;)

 

It's good, but I'm doing the low-carb thing (not Atkins, just lower carbs) and there's a good amount of carbs in the milk. I still do the lattes, but now I know I can't have both cereal and a latte in the morning. ;) Mine is a hot double sugar-free with whole milk. (Less carbs in whole milk and I'm trying to get more calories.)

[dontpanik]

Oh crap, and I just bought 2 2 litres of diet Coke's too. I am overweight because of my metabolism, not my food intake. I slowed my metabolism to a crawl by only eating once every 2 days or so....Now I find out that drinking diet coke hurts?!? This stinks. I am a native Floridian and anyone who's ever had a drink of Florida water will know why i hate the "taste" of water. I can't even drink the bottled water because it just tastes like mouth to me. Is there anything left ?

[Kudos2Fly]

Research - systematic inquiry into a subject in order to discover or revise facts theories, etc.

 

Research - to make an extensive investigation into.

 

That's from the dictionary. Doesn't say anything about peer-review.. ;)

 

So this group did this, then I would consider it valid. But I can't say for sure because I haven't seen a report on what they did.

[bUU]

I think the point is that the quality of their research is poor. Of course, you can believe it if you wish, but it important to allow for those who doubt their research, because it isn't valid.

[Kudos2Fly]

Of course thats you opinion if the research is poor or not. I frankly don't know either, because I haven't seen it. But like I said I have herd this before about sodas from other sources.

 

I'm sure there is a study out there that disagrees with it. There always is...

 

So you just have to go with what you feel is right and I personally agree with the study.

 

But I think we can agree to disagree :o

[bUU]

Definitely; although, to be clear, I don't "disagree" with the study. Rather, my position is that folks shouldn't believe ANY study until that study is determined to be valid.

[Kudos2Fly]

Well the only way for it become valid is to do more studies.. But someone has to do the 1st study. :)

[bUU]

Actually, a study can be deemed valid if experts in the same field certify that its method conforms to the standards of the discipline, and of science in general, and that its conclusions logically follow from the previously-proven tenets of the discipline and the additional information that are the content of the study.