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Daily soft drinks - even diet - linked to higher heart disease risk: study (BARF)
Yahoo ^ | 7.23.07 | Sheryl Ubelacker

Posted on 07/23/2007 3:13:48 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball

TORONTO (CP) - For those who drink diet pops in the belief that sugar-free beverages are healthier than regular soft drinks, new research suggests they should think again.

A huge U.S. study of middle-aged adults has found that drinking more than one soft drink a day - even a sugar-free diet brand - may be associated with an elevated risk for metabolic syndrome, a cluster of factors that boosts the chance of having a heart attack or stroke and developing diabetes.

"We found that one or more sodas per day increases your risk of new-onset metabolic syndrome by about 45 per cent, and it did not seem to matter if it was regular or diet," Dr. Ramachandran Vasan, senior investigator for the Framingham Heart Study, said Monday from Boston.

"That for me is striking."

Metabolic syndrome is associated with five specific health indicators: excess abdominal fat; high blood sugar; high triglycerides; low levels of the good cholesterol HDL; and high blood pressure.

"And other than high blood pressure, the other four . . . all were associated with drinking one or more sodas per day," said Vasan, a professor of medicine at Boston University.

Having metabolic syndrome is known to double the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as boosting the risk of diabetes.

The study included nearly 9,000 observations of middle-aged men and women over four years at three different times. The study looked at how many 355-millilitre cans of cola or other soft drinks a participant consumed each day.

The researchers found that compared to those who drank less than one can per day, subjects who downed one or more soft drinks daily had a:

-31 per cent greater risk of becoming obese (with a body mass index of 30 or more).

-30 per cent increased risk of adding on belly fat.

-25 per cent higher risk of developing high blood triglycerides or high blood sugar.

-32 per cent higher risk of having low HDL levels.

But Vasan and his colleagues, whose study was published Monday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, are unsure what it is about soft drinks that ratchets up the risk of metabolic syndrome.

"We really don't know," he said. "This soda consumption may be a marker for a particular dietary pattern or lifestyle. Individuals who drink one or more sodas per day tend to be people who have greater caloric intake. They tend to have more of saturated fats and trans fats in their diet, they tend to be more sedentary, they seem to have lower consumption of fibre."

"And we tried to adjust for all of these in our analysis . . . but it's very difficult to completely adjust away lifestyle."

Dr. David Jenkins, director of the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, said previous studies have suggested that diet pops did not have the same effects on weight and health as do naturally sweetened soft drinks.

"The unusual thing that needs comment is they (the study authors) say that the diet colas are the same as the calorically sweetened colas," said Jenkins. "So I think that is the piece that they've put into this puzzle . . . I think we need a lot more scrutiny of that."

Jenkins said he believes that high consumption of soft drinks likely goes along with eating a high-calorie diet.

"I think the disappointing thing is if you thought you were doing (yourself) a major service - which you always used to think - by taking diet drinks, this is not helping you," he said. "Before we were saying take the diet (drink) and you're OK. Now were saying: 'Watch it."'

The study also begs the question whether there is some ingredient in soft drinks - regular or diet - that may encourage metabolic syndrome.

But Dr. Arya Sharma, chair of cardiovascular obesity research at McMaster University, said there is nothing suggested by the authors of the study that would lead to that conclusion.

"One thing that they say and other people have said before is if you drink a lot of sweet things, then you are sort of conditioning yourself for that sweet taste," Sharma said Monday from Hamilton. "So people who drink diet pop may be eating other sweets, whether that comes in the form of dessert or other things, I don't know."

"It may be that people who are drinking diet pop - and we have this effect often with people who go on diets or when people go running or whatever - that you do a little bit of something that you think is good, and then you overcompensate by doing more of something that is bad."

"The idea could be because I'm drinking diet pap, I can afford to splurge on dessert."

Vasan said he cannot out-and-out recommend that people stop drinking soft drinks based on this study, because the findings are based on association, not clear cause and effect.

"The simple message is eat healthy, exercise regularly and everything should be done in moderation," he said. "If you're a regular soda drinker you should be aware that this study adds to the evidence that regular soda may be associated with metabolic consequences."

"If you're a diet soda drinker, stay tuned for additional research to confirm or refute these findings."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: health; junkscience
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Journal of the American Heart Association, are unsure what it is about soft drinks that ratchets up the risk of metabolic syndrome.

"We really don't know," he said. "This soda consumption may be a marker for a particular dietary pattern or lifestyle. Individuals who drink one or more sodas per day tend to be people who have greater caloric intake. They tend to have more of saturated fats and trans fats in their diet, they tend to be more sedentary, they seem to have lower consumption of fibre."

What a ridiculous, pathetic non story of a story !

1 posted on 07/23/2007 3:13:50 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
Since Type II diabetes is definitely gene linked, and only 5% of the population have two copies of the recessives that cause it (and a number of other related conditions identified as "metabolic disorder") this report is, at best, garbage.

It would make much more sense to state that folks with the genes for Type II diabetes drink one or more sodapops a day.

2 posted on 07/23/2007 3:17:45 PM PDT by muawiyah
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
Someone should start the pool now to see how long it will be before they announce that this study is nothing more than a load of used food (just like the ones about eggs, coffee, Italian food, etc., etc., etc.).

Some people obviously don't have enough to do.

3 posted on 07/23/2007 3:18:14 PM PDT by Pablo64 (Ask me about my alpacas!)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Diet soda makes people fat. Have you ever seen anyone, not in an ad, drinking diet soda?


4 posted on 07/23/2007 3:19:51 PM PDT by Clam Digger
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
Most people who never drink soda, regular or diet, tend to be healthier than those who do. Not because of the lack of soda, but because they're sorta healthy types. Granola crunching herbal tea types.

Not as a rule, of course, but it seems to me to be the case.

5 posted on 07/23/2007 3:20:34 PM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Yeah, well I went off ALL diet pop, aspurtame, chocolate and sugar about 8 weeks ago and it almost killed me! I had panic attacks. My doc wanted to put me on blood pressure meds, anti-depressant and lipitor.

Finally after about 3 weeks I felt better. Never did take any of that medicine and I’m thinking about changing drs. But there definitely is something to the aspurtame stuff. If I accidentally eat something with it in I get ill.

Glad I quit!


6 posted on 07/23/2007 3:20:45 PM PDT by queenkathy (The shampoo promised me extra body and I gained 3 pounds)
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To: muawiyah

It’s garbage because they go on and on about the evils of soda (including ‘Diet’, which is why it caught my attention) and then in the end blame it on calorie rich foods that people tend to eat with their soda.


7 posted on 07/23/2007 3:22:19 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
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To: Clam Digger
Have you ever seen anyone, not in an ad, drinking diet soda?

I guzzle down at least a two liter bottle of Diet Coke everyday.

8 posted on 07/23/2007 3:24:13 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
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To: Pablo64

The article is highly misleading. Drinking diet soda does not cause “metabolic syndrome” ... it’s just that those who drinik doet soda are moreds likely to have it.


9 posted on 07/23/2007 3:25:34 PM PDT by BunnySlippers (Buy a Mac ...)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Diet Coke is the new drug of choice for a lot of people.


10 posted on 07/23/2007 3:29:30 PM PDT by Nachum
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
I have just concluded a 69 year study (No Federal Funds) and have reached the following conclusion (perhaps it is only a theory):

There is almost a 50% chance of a person dying if they are alive. This is based upon firm scientific facts with world wide consensus. I think Al Gore is going to sign onto this study next week.

11 posted on 07/23/2007 3:32:58 PM PDT by CHEE (Shoot low, they're crawling.)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

I have heard that diet sodas can still trick the body into producing insulin, just as it would if it was real sugar, and it messes up the caloric gauge, and makes people actually eat more, than if they had just drank the regular sugar drinks.


12 posted on 07/23/2007 3:33:01 PM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
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To: BunnySlippers
I agree with what you said, but I also feel that the majority of these kinds of studies are usually proven to be crap.

I remember when coffee was going to kill us. Now it turns out that not only is that not true, but coffee is one of the highest sources (ounce for ounce) of anti-oxidants of any food or beverage.

Most of the "researchers" in these studies went into them looking to back up their pre-conceived beliefs, so it's never surprising when, amazingly, the "study" proves them right.

13 posted on 07/23/2007 3:33:59 PM PDT by Pablo64 (Ask me about my alpacas!)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Research has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory mice.


14 posted on 07/23/2007 3:34:03 PM PDT by rednesss (Fred Thompson - 2008)
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To: queenkathy
Yeah, well I went off ALL diet pop, aspartame, chocolate and sugar about 8 weeks ago and it almost killed me!

You just learned the hard way (withdrawal symptoms) that all that stuff is bad for your body. I have to laugh at FReepers who ridicule a healthy diet as if it was some stupid liberal idea that should be avoided.

15 posted on 07/23/2007 3:41:05 PM PDT by vox humana
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball
This wouldn't surprise me at all. Diet sodas are made from loads of unnatural chemicals and only fat people seem to drink them (me included, on occasion). It's simply common-sense conservatism to drink something natural.

Water, Tea and Beer: If it was good enough for the framers of the Constitution, it's good enough for me! ;-)

16 posted on 07/23/2007 3:42:02 PM PDT by inkling (exurbanleague.com)
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To: Pablo64

In all things....moderation.


17 posted on 07/23/2007 3:42:05 PM PDT by dfwgator (The University of Florida - Still Championship U)
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To: Clam Digger

I used to drink quite a lot of the stuff. When you get used to it- ‘full strength’ soda tastes cloyingly sweet. I quit drinking anything (with occasional and rare exceptions) other than black coffee and water- because I was on the verge of (yet another) heart attack.

*Now let me be clear, here.*

I’m NOT asserting that diet soda had anything to do with my then-impending heart attack. I had a crappy diet, ate too much of it, and didn’t get any appreciable exercise.

Since I am sick of heart surgeries, I decided to go on the offensive. Very lean, tightly managed diet, which is largely designed around supporting my daily workouts on the road and in the gym. Once I made the commitment, it wasn’t that hard to get off of the soda and cheeseburgers and pizza and whatnot. I really don’t miss any of it.


18 posted on 07/23/2007 3:44:01 PM PDT by Riley (The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column.)
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Nonsense. I drink 3-5 per day, and I’m out my ideal weight and my fasting glucose is very normal.


19 posted on 07/23/2007 3:45:18 PM PDT by Dysart
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

I haven’t drunk any soda in at least 5 years. I feel a lot better now that I just drink water, herbal tea and 100% fruit juices. I stay away as much as possible from aspartame, caffeine, excessive sugar, and especially high fructose corn syrup, which is one of the most harmful artificial ingredients ever created. Just Google “high fructose corn syrup” to see how bad this stuff is. Unfortunately, it’s in just about everything.

In many ways, diet soda is actually more harmful than regular. Sugar is bad, but aspartame is a cancer-causing ingredient that is probably worse.

I’m not a granola-crunching health nut, but I found that I don’t miss sodas at all.


20 posted on 07/23/2007 3:47:07 PM PDT by RepublitarianRoger
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