Diet Beverages Play Positive Role in Weight Loss, New Study

For many, a diet soda seems like a healthy choice. But over the past few years, studies have indicated swapping out a sugar-laden regular cola for a diet cola may not be that good for you after all. In response to this research critical of their member companies, a brand new project funded by the American Beverage Association suggests once again that diet soda could aid in weight loss efforts.

The 12-week study of more than 300 participants wanted to look at the effects of water and diet beverages on weight loss.

Results showed that diet-beverage drinkers lost an average of 13 pounds. That’s 44 percent more than the control group which lost an average of nine pounds.

Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, those who drank diet beverages or those in a control group that drank only water. Both groups followed an identical diet and exercise program during the study.

Besides losing more weight than the control group, the diet-beverage group also reported feeling significantly less hungry and showed greater improvements in the so-called “bad cholesterol.”

“This study clearly demonstrates diet beverages can in fact help people lose weight, directly countering myths in recent years that suggest the opposite effect – weight gain,” said James O. Hill, Ph.D., executive director of the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center.

Agencies/Canadajournal