Diet soda linked with metabolic syndrome

[Puppycow]

Diet soda linked with metabolic syndrome

I wonder what's going on here? I never liked diet soda anyway, but now I'm glad I stuck with regular (I'm sure all soda is bad, but this shows that diet soda may even be worse than regular). I wonder what's going to happen? Shouldn't they just get rid of diet soda altogether? Is artificial sweetener the culprit?

 

[fls]

Doesn't it just show that people who are overweight are more likely to choose diet soda?

Linda

 

[Dancing David]

Are carts caused by horses?

It might bear further study,

They did not compare to those who drink a regular soda (or did say if they did). I would guess it is a behavioral marker.

 

[Puppycow]

Doesn't it just show that people who are overweight are more likely to choose diet soda?

Linda

Perhaps, but I would assume the researchers ask those sorts of questions and analyze the data, control for variables such as weight (is this not a reasonable assumption?). It is a longitudinal study, so maybe they can do statistical tests to control for weight and other eating/exercise/lifestyle habits. I am not qualified to do such analyses, but I would hope that the researchers are.

The scientists gathered dietary information on more than 9,500 men and women ages 45 to 64 and tracked their health for nine years.

 

[Darat]

Perhaps, but I would assume the researchers ask those sorts of questions and analyze the data, control for variables such as weight (is this not a reasonable assumption?). It is a longitudinal study, so maybe they can do statistical tests to control for weight and other eating/exercise/lifestyle habits. I am not qualified to do such analyses, but I would hope that the researchers are.

But even one of the co-authors in the short article you linked to says "“Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?”" so it would look as if from the study they don't have anything bar the correlation.

 

[fls]

Perhaps, but I would assume the researchers ask those sorts of questions and analyze the data, control for variables such as weight (is this not a reasonable assumption?). It is a longitudinal study, so maybe they can do statistical tests to control for weight and other eating/exercise/lifestyle habits. I am not qualified to do such analyses, but I would hope that the researchers are.

The point is that if you are going to assume a causal connection, the obvious direction to consider is that worrying about health problems from being overweight would lead to someone choosing to drink diet drinks, rather than diet drinks lead to someone developing metabolic syndrome.

Linda

 

[ImaginalDisc]

The point is that if you are going to assume a causal connection, the obvious direction to consider is that worrying about health problems from being overweight would lead to someone choosing to drink diet drinks, rather than diet drinks lead to someone developing metabolic syndrome.

Linda

Why is that "the obvious direction?" Why would you make such an assumption in spite of the lack of evidence?

 

[fls]

Why is that "the obvious direction?" Why would you make such an assumption in spite of the lack of evidence?

Lack of evidence? Diet pop isn't used by people who are overweight? Diabetics aren't given advice to use sugar substitutes whenever possible?

Linda

 

[tsg]

In other news, researchers have found that people who speak French are more likely to live in France. So if you don't want to move to France, don't learn French.

 

[ImaginalDisc]

Lack of evidence? Diet pop isn't used by people who are overweight? Diabetics aren't given advice to use sugar substitutes whenever possible?

Linda

Can you cite specific data that supports your conclusion? The study itself doesn't seem to contain those claims.

 

[skeptifem]

isnt there still an ongoing debate about calling it 'metabolic syndrome'?

 

[El Greco]

Disappointing. I cringe when I think that scientists get paid to draw such conclusions. This would mean that diet sodas are partly responsible for the extremely complex phenomenon of obesity, a phenomenon with deep roots in sociological causes.

 

[tsg]

Disappointing. I cringe when I think that scientists get paid to draw such conclusions. This would mean that diet sodas are partly responsible for the extremely complex phenomenon of obesity, a phenomenon with deep roots in sociological causes.

To be fair, I doubt it was the study that actually drew that conclusion, but rather the New York Times reporter who wrote the article.

 

[fls]

Can you cite specific data that supports your conclusion? The study itself doesn't seem to contain those claims.

Can I cite specific data that it is people who have glucose intolerance or who want to lose weight that use sugar substitutes? I can, but do I really have to?

ETA: The study itself makes no claim one way or the other, as it wasn't designed to determine causality.

ETA2: It is also driving me crazy that I can't read your avatar.

Linda

 

[fls]

isnt there still an ongoing debate about calling it 'metabolic syndrome'?

I dunno. It's had several names - dysmetabolic syndrome, syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome - so I suppose there will always be hold-outs.

Linda

 

[casebro]

My own net research tells me that obesity is caused by buying larger clothing.

And this key board makes ALL of my typos. I ought to call Geek Squad.

But on a slightly more realistic note, I finally found a study of weight loss vs a control group who did not lose weight. It was something like 467 patient who had gastric surgery. Vs the same size control group of fatties who did not lose weight. Heart disease rate was NOT improved, diabetes dropped like a rock though. Cancer was insignificantly improved.

So, obesity/health may be effect/cause?

Anecdotally, I've lost 50 pounds in the last year. My insulin needs are down by 90%. Feel better than I did before my first heart attack at 49. Angina gone, Sciatica gone. Oh, I did it by first cutting out the wheat, then going on a low carb diet, and once I felt better, working just as hard as I could restoring my own truck. Hasn't helped my BP at all though. Hardened arteries I guess.

 

[El Greco]

To be fair, I doubt it was the study that actually drew that conclusion, but rather the New York Times reporter who wrote the article.

The last paragraph in the article says that a co-author of the paper considers the possibility that a chemical in diet soda may be responsible.

 

[Lanzy]

All diet sodas are not create equal, although some use equal in them. My question is how could drinking diet sodas of a huge range of possible ingredients be lumped into the same result? Are all artificial sweetners producing the same effect? Is it simply not using sugar that is causing the corelation? No where near enough data in the article.

 

[tsg]

The last paragraph in the article says that a co-author of the paper considers the possibility that a chemical in diet soda may be responsible.

What the author actually said:

“Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda, or something about the behavior of diet soda drinkers?”

Considering it one of a couple of possibilities is not the same as drawing a conclusion.

One could easily add "we won't know without more research" to the statement without changing it at all.

 

[Puppycow]

Anecdotally, I've lost 50 pounds in the last year. My insulin needs are down by 90%. Feel better than I did before my first heart attack at 49. Angina gone, Sciatica gone. Oh, I did it by first cutting out the wheat, then going on a low carb diet, and once I felt better, working just as hard as I could restoring my own truck. Hasn't helped my BP at all though. Hardened arteries I guess.

Good on you. The hard part is keeping it off. I lost 40 pounds year before last, and gained 40 pounds last year. I recently joined a gym and am starting to lose it again, but it's a constant struggle.

But at least I think we can say that this study suggests that diet soda is no benefit. Likely the best thing is no soda period. OTOH, I've heard in the past of various studies suggesting that coffee and tea are healthy, as well as alchohol in moderation (only if you are the type who can drink in moderation, of course).