Diet soda could be causing you to overeat

Artificially sweetened drinks are being blamed again for sabotaging diets in a new US study that found diet soda could lead to increased food intake. After looking at national consumption patterns of diet beverages and calorie intake, researchers from John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health concluded that overweight and obese adults who drink diet beverages consume more calories from food than obese adults who drink regular sodas and other sugary beverages. The results come as consumption rates of diet soda in the US have seen a dramatic spike over the last few decades, with three percent of the population consuming diet drinks in 1965, up to 20 percent today, authors note. Data was compiled from national health surveys conducted between 1999 to 2010. The results were published in The American Journal of Public Health last week. The findings corroborate previous research that found artificial sweeteners may cause greater activation of the brain’s reward sensors, disrupt appetite control and cause people to increase their overall food intake. Another study published last year in General Dentistry also provided compelling evidence for avoiding diet soda, after researchers said that the consumption of artificially sweetened drinks is as damaging to the teeth as the use of crack cocaine and meth.