Posted on 09/11/2015 3:24:48 PM PDT by nickcarraway
More than 90 percent of survey participants eat "junk" food every day, but researchers suggest that some people's choice of diet beverage is tied to guilt
Drinkers of diet beverages were found to obtain more of their daily caloric intake from discretionary "junk" foods, likely canceling out the benefits of lower-calorie drinks, according to a new study.
Nearly all of the participants in a large review of nutrition data at the University of Illinois consumed discretionary foods, though researchers said the explanation for some consumers of diet drinks may be tied to guilt for other eating habits.
Discretionary foods are foods that do not belong to the major food groups and are not essential to the human diet, including things like french fries, cookies, ice cream, chocolate and pastries.
"If people simply substitute diet beverages for sugar-sweetened beverages, it may not have the intended effect because they may just eat those calories rather than drink them," said Ruopeng An, a professor of kinesiology and community health at the University of Illinois, in a press release.
An reviewed data on the dietary habits of 22,513 people collected between 2003 and 2012 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, comparing people's daily caloric intakes from discretionary foods and 5 types of beverages -- diet or sugar-free drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, coffee, tea, and alcohol.
More than 90 percent of the survey participants consumed discretionary foods every day, gaining about 482 calories from the on average, while 97 percent of people drank at least 1 of the 5 beverage types every day. In addition, 41 percent consumed at least 2 of the drinks each day and 25 percent had 3 per day.
Among the participants, 53 percent drank coffee -- by far the highest proportion of any of the beverages -- while 43 percent drank sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and juice, 26 percent drank tea, 22 percent drank alcohol, and 21 percent prefer diet beverages. In terms of caloric intake, the largest daily increase was caused by alcohol consumption, followed by sugar-sweetened beverages, coffee, diet beverages, and tea.
Participants who drank coffee and diet beverages were found to obtain a higher percentage of daily calories from discretionary foods. However, among obese adults, as well as those with the most income and education, diet beverages were most linked with increased caloric intake.
Coffee drinkers were also among people with the worst dietary habits, but researchers suggest that many people opting for diet drinks were in fact compensating for the lower caloric intake in the beverage. One suggestion put forward by researchers is that the choice of a diet beverage was meant to balance out other poor eating habits.
An said it's possible people who drink diet beverages feel justified in eating more, "so they reach for a muffin or bag of chips." He added that it could also be that the lower calorie drink leaves them feeling less full, leading to a desire for more food.
"We'd recommend that people carefully document their caloric intake from both beverages and discretionary foods because both of these add calories -- and possibly weight -- to the body," An said.
I just don’t like sugary sodas, period.
Well yeah. Anybody that ever worked fastfood knows that. Diet Coke orders were almost always in drive thru, almost always supersized, frequently included a desert, and often an extra sandwich. But hey, it was diet.
A few years ago, I began drinking diet green tea instead of water or any other beverage. My blood sugar dropped immediately out of the pre-diabetic to normal. Weight has remained steady, but I’m not overweight.
I worked for a woman who would eat two 1/4 pounders and fries for lunch and wash it down with a diet Coke.
Me: "Dude. Why bother?"
Him: "It kills my hangover."
I’ve never got the hang up with diet drinks.
So someone who eats a 1500 calorie meal doesn’t want to make it 2000. Big deal!
Does anyone ever tell the car dealer to just “round up” when buying a vehicle?
That’s WHY I drink diet drinks — so I can consume more fat calories. :)
I don’t either, prefer the crispness of diet pop.
Many times ppl drink diet soda not for weight loss or calories but b/c they like soda but don’t want to consume all the sugar.
I used to be a Dr pepper fiend. When I got an elevated glucose on a blood test I switched to diet. Not the best, but better.
I started drinking diet years ago when I was carrying some extra weight. No weight problem now, but I got accustomed to the taste. Regular tastes way too sweet and it’s sort of sticky.
Four Fried Chickens and a Piece of Dry White Toast.
and a Diet Coke.
I’m on a diet, so cut my pizza into 4 pieces instead of 8 and give me a diet Coke.
“I worked for a woman who would eat two 1/4 pounders and fries for lunch and wash it down with a diet Coke.”
It would have been so much better had she ingested a ton of sugar with that food.
And right here, in this modest little sentence, we find the real reason that diet sodas cause obesity. It has nothing to do with metabolism, and everything to do with psychology!
Somehow, I doubt we'll see any decrease in the number of headlines pronouncing that diet sodas make one fat...
Diet drinks are also unhealthy.
Sugared sodas taste sickening to me. I enjoy the taste of the sugarless. And I take issue with this study. The basic food groups are pizza, Mexican, lasagna and more pizza.
Same here.
I’m drinking a diet Mt. Dew right now, and it is good.
“I worked for a woman who would eat two 1/4 pounders and fries for lunch and wash it down with a diet Coke.”
Two 1/4 pounders? So. It’s only 1/2 pound :)
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