One Or More Soft Drinks Linked to Metabolic Syndrome, Study Finds
Posted Dec 18 2008 7:35pm
The evidence against soda -- both high-fructose corn-syrup filled and artifically sweetened -- keeps mounting.
Today, yet another study, which appeared appeared online in this month's Circulation, revealed that middle-aged people adults one or more soft drinks -- whether sugar-filled or "diet" drinks -- have a higher prevalence and incidence of multiple metabolic risk factors, AP and CBS reported.
The biggest surprise to researchers was that drinking diet sodas could have that kind of health-harming effect, too.
The study's senior author, Vasan Ramachandran, M.D., D.M., told CBS that the findings don't show diet sodas are a cause of increased heart disease risks, but he said they show a surprising link that must be studied.
Although the president of the soda industry's trade organization, the American Beverage Association, pooh-poohed the fact that diet soda could be linked to weight gain, this concept actually is nothing new, and I've written several times previously, including here and here, about this "paradoxical weight gain" effect.
For the study, researchers looked at 9,000 middle-aged men and women, who are part of the massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston.
Speaking of CBS, are you aware of the fabulous CBS News Sunday Morning story, "Americans May Be Too Sweet on Sugar," for which I was interviewed a month ago?
The evidence against soda -- both high-fructose corn-syrup filled and artifically sweetened -- keeps mounting.
Today, yet another study, which appeared appeared online in this month's Circulation, revealed that middle-aged people adults one or more soft drinks -- whether sugar-filled or "diet" drinks -- have a higher prevalence and incidence of multiple metabolic risk factors, AP and CBS reported.
The biggest surprise to researchers was that drinking diet sodas could have that kind of health-harming effect, too.
The study's senior author, Vasan Ramachandran, M.D., D.M., told CBS that the findings don't show diet sodas are a cause of increased heart disease risks, but he said they show a surprising link that must be studied.
Although the president of the soda industry's trade organization, the American Beverage Association, pooh-poohed the fact that diet soda could be linked to weight gain, this concept actually is nothing new, and I've written several times previously, including here and here, about this "paradoxical weight gain" effect.
For the study, researchers looked at 9,000 middle-aged men and women, who are part of the massive, multi-generational heart study following residents of Framingham, Mass., a town about 25 miles west of Boston.
Watch the CBS news video with Dr. Jon LaPook.
Speaking of CBS, are you aware of the fabulous CBS News Sunday Morning story, "Americans May Be Too Sweet on Sugar," for which I was interviewed a month ago?