(NaturalNews) A new study published in January 16, 2009 edition of
Diabetes Care indicates that daily consumption of diet soda plays a key
role in the development of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of findings known to increase the risk
of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and is also known as Syndrome X.
Metabolic syndrome includes insulin resistance or actual Type 2
diabetes, low HDL, elevated triglycerides and central obesity (high
waist circumference).
Two
previous studies have shown a positive correlation between diet soda
and metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes. This study, the
Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), was designed to test the
association between diet soda and the overall risk of metabolic
syndrome, the various components of metabolic syndrome and Type 2
diabetes. The study conclusions support the findings of the previous
two studies. Another study published in the Annals of Epidemiology in
Sept, 2006, found that adults with diabetes who drank one or more diet
sodas per day had hemaglobin A1C levels 0.7 percent higher than those
who drank none. HemaglobinA1C is a measurement that evaluates blood
glucose control over a period of approximately 3 months. That
difference is what would expect to be found when one group started a
new, effective diabetic medication and another group left untreated.
Those
who consumed diet soda at least daily had a 36% greater risk for
metabolic syndrome and a huge 67% greater risk for the development of
Type 2 diabetes. Drinking diet soda daily increased the risk of
Type 2 diabetes regardless of initial obesity and changes during the
study. When metabolic syndrome was looked at by individual components,
only high fasting blood sugar (>100mg/dL) and high waist
circumference (men: 102 cm/39.78inches; women: 88 cm/34.3inches) were
significantly correlated with daily consumption of diet soda.
Baseline
questionnaires regarding diet soda consumption were collected between
2000 and 2002 followed by three follow up examinations: 2002-2003,
2004-2005 and 2005-2007. These exams were to specifically identify the
presence of Type 2 diabetes and the various components of metabolic
syndrome. For this study, Type 2 diabetes was defined as a fasting
blood glucose >126mg/dL, self reported diagnosis or use of glucose
lowering medication.
After all data was compiled, adjustments
were made for demographics, lifestyle and dietary differences. Hazard
ratios were then calculated for Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome,
and the components of metabolic syndrome. The participants who consumed
diet soda were then compared to those participants who did not drink
diet soda.
Limitations of the study included: observational
design which precluded findings of causality, the possibility of
unaccounted for differences in diet and lifestyle, difficulties
accurately estimating intake of diet sodas and different artificial
sweeteners.
The study authors conclude that: "These results
corroborate findings from the ARIC [Atherosclerosis Risk in
Communities] and Framingham studies and show stronger adverse
associations exist between diet soda and Type 2 diabetes. Diet soda
consumption, either independently or in conjunction with other dietary
and lifestyle behaviors, may lead to weight gain, impaired glucose
control, and eventual diabetes." While this data cannot establish
causality, daily consumption of diet soda was associated with
significantly increased risk of certain components of metabolic
syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
This study was done by: Division of Epidemiology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, TX, the Division
of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, MN, Center for Human Nutrition, Department of
International Health, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD; the Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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