Diet Soda Does Not Increase Diabetes Risk

For many years people related drinking a lot of diet soda with an increased risk for diabetes. This has been found to be untrue. People that choose diet sodas often already have an increased risk for diabetes.

Researchers studied a number of men for twenty years to examine the effects regular consumption of diet soda had on the risk for developing diabetes.

Diet soda alone does not increase the risk for diabetes.

Harvard University researchers found 7 percent of the study participants were diagnosed with diabetes. Individuals who drank the most soda or carbonated drinks were 16 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes.

The researchers believe there was a link between increased risk for diabetes and diet soda, but after considering weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels there was no longer a clear relationship.

The male participants who drank the most soda and carbonated drinks were 16 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, while non-carbonated sweetened drinks were not linked at all.

Researchers suggest the difference between individuals could be the individual's diet that is causing the increase consumption of artificially sweetened drinks.

The Study

• Questionnaires were competed regularly throughout the study to determine medical status and dietary habits. 
• 40,000 men were followed for 20 years from 1986-2006
• Participants were required to regularly fill out questionnaires containing information about medical status and dietary habits, including the number of servings of regular and diet soda and other drinks consumed every week.
• Study shows after considering weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol, the association between diet soda and risk for diabetes was no longer apparent.