The Sipping Point: Calorie-Packed Drinks and Your Weight

The Big Question About Diet Soda

You've probably heard the rumor that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda cause sugar cravings that can lead to weight gain. Wrong, experts say -- diet soda will not make you fat. What does? Consuming too many calories. One study did find that the risk of being overweight or obese increased by 37 percent for each diet soda consumed daily. But a Danish study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed no difference in appetite between overweight people who downed diet sodas and those who guzzled sugary ones. "Artificial sweeteners can absolutely help people lose weight, as long as they consume them as part of a reduced-calorie diet," says Anderson. "The problem is, people drink diet sodas and then think they've 'saved' calories, so they go ahead and overeat. It has nothing to do with the sweetener." So enjoy that diet whatever, just don't overdo it on the triple-fudge treats.