A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that people who drank diet soda gained almost triple the abdominal fat over a nine-year period as those who didn't drink diet soda. The study analyzed 749 individuals 65 and older and were asked every few years how many cans of soda they drank every day and how many of those cans were diet or regular.
After researchers adjusted for factors such as diabetes, smoking and levels of physical activity, the study found that soda was a major factor in abdominal-fat gain. Participants of the study who did not drink diet soda gained about 0.8 inches around their waists, but those who drank diet soda gained 3.2 inches around their waist. Occasional soda drinkers gained about 1.8 inches.
Abdominal fat, or visceral fat, can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, inflammation and Type 2 diabetes.
If Diet Soda Has 0 Calories, How Can It Cause Belly Fat?
Though scientists are still working on why no- and low-calorie sweeteners lead to weight gain, they have some ideas. Sugar-free sodas and sweeteners contain substances that sweeten up soda up to 200-600 times the sweetness of real sugar! While regular sugar is packed with calories, it sends of signal to your brain that you are full. Your body is used to knowing that a sweet taste means you are taking in energy in the form of calories. Artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, confuses our brains, saying to it that we haven't received the sugar we were craving, which can lead to weight gain and cravings for sugary snacks.
Another research study may have a different answer. The study involving mice showed that artificial sweeteners changed the gut bacteria of mice in ways that weakened their body's insulin resistance and glucose tolerance, both of which can lead to weight gain. Other mice research studies suggest that artificial sweeteners are associated with a drop in the appetite-regulating hormone leptin. Leptin inhibits hunger so when it drops, your brain tells you that you are still hungry.
So If I Can't Drink Diet Soda, What Can I Drink?
Switch to seltzer. It naturally has 0 calories, 0 sodium, and absolutely no artificial sweeteners. You'll still get your fizzy fix but without the negative side effects of artificial sweeteners and all the other bad ingredients in diet soda, such as caramel coloring. If you miss the flavor, there are some naturally flavored seltzers out there that can satisfy your craving for a sweetened, soda-like beverage.
Source:
TIME
What Diet Soda Does to Belly Fat