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DOES EVEN DIET COKEK MAKE YOU FAT? SUGAR-FREE FIZZY DRINKS MAKE PEOPLE EAT MORE FOOD

Emma Innes

Jan. 17, 2014

People who opt for diet drinks do not consume fewer calories overall
This could be because artificial sweeteners in diet drinks affect a person's appetite control meaning they are less able to gauge energy consumption
People who drink diet fizzy drinks tend to have a higher BMI and to consume more snacks than people who drink regular fizzy drinks

Many dieters opt for sugar-free drinks in a bid to shed some excess pounds, but new research suggests this tactic is not effective.

U.S. researchers found that overweight and obese adults who drink diet fizzy drinks consume more calories from food than those who drink regular fizzy drinks.

The researchers, at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, examined national patterns in adult drink consumption and calorie intake.

Overweight people who drink diet fizzy drinks eat more meaning they do not consume fewer calories overall

They discovered that those who opt for diet drinks do not end up consuming fewer calories overall.

‘Although overweight and obese adults who drink diet soda eat a comparable amount of total calories as heavier adults who drink sugary beverages, they consume significantly more calories from solid food at both meals and snacks,’ said Dr Sara Bleich, associate professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of Health Policy and Management and lead author of the paper.

Using data from the 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers looked at national patterns of drink consumption and caloric intake.

Consumption of diet drinks has increased considerably in the past few decades from three per cent in 1965 to 20 per cent today.

Individuals who drink diet soda typically have a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) and consume more snack food than those who drink sugary beverages.

Earlier research may explain why the investigators found higher consumption of food among heavy adults who drink diet beverages.

Artificial sweeteners, which are present in large quantities in diet soda, are associated with a greater activation of reward centres in the brain.

In other words, among people who drink diet soda, the brain’s sweet sensors may no longer provide a reliable gauge of energy consumption because the artificial sweetener disrupts appetite control.

As a result, consumption of diet drinks may result in increased food intake overall.

‘The results of our study suggest that overweight and obese adults looking to lose or maintain their weight - who have already made the switch from sugary to diet beverages - may need to look carefully at other components of their solid-food diet, particularly sweet snacks, to potentially identify areas for modification,’ said Dr Bleich.

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