Are diet sodas really safer for type 2 diabetes?

A major Australian study tracking over 36,000 people for nearly 14 years found that both sugary and artificially sweetened beverages are linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, with daily diet drink consumption associated with up to an 83% higher risk. These findings challenge the common belief that diet sodas are a safer alternative and suggest artificial sweeteners may disrupt metabolism or insulin response, calling for more scrutiny in public health policy.

Read the article at https://www.paperleap.com/blog/articles/are-diet-sodas-really-safer-a-14-year-study-suggests-otherwise-0cccc2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the paper Leap podcast, where a science takes
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(00:21):
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All the content is also available on paperleap dot com. Okay, ready,
let's start. We've all been there, standing in a supermarket aisle,
wondering whether to grab the regular soda or its diet version.
You might assume the sugar free option is the healthier choice,

(00:45):
especially if you're trying to avoid weight gain or reduce
your risk of diabetes. Right well, a new Australian study
published in Diabetes and Metabolism in May twenty twenty five
casts serious doubt on that assumption. The work was led
by doctor Wabel hussinkopthemer of Monets University, alongside colleagues from

(01:08):
the University of Adelaide, University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands,
Cancer Council Victoria, the University of Melbourne and r MIT
University The study followed more than thirty six thousand people
in Melbourne for nearly fourteen years. The goal to investigate

(01:30):
how often people drank sweetened beverages, both sugary and artificially sweetened,
and what that meant for their long term risk of
developing type two diabetes. Participants filled out detailed food frequency questionnaires,
including how often they drank sugar sweetened beverages think regular cola, lemonade,

(01:52):
and energy drinks, and artificially sweetened beverages like the diet
zero or no sugar versions. Researchers grouped intake from rarely
or never to one or more day, and then observed
who developed type two diabetes. It's no secret that drinking

(02:12):
sugar sweetened beverages, whether sodas or energy drinks, is linked
to obesity and metabolic disease. This new study confirmed that
connection people who consumed these sugary drinks daily had a
twenty three percent higher risk of developing type two diabetes
compared to those who rarely drink them. But here's the twist.

(02:36):
The study found that people who only drank diet sodas
every day had an even higher risk, up to eighty
three percent greater In some analyzes, even after adjusting for
things like body weight, weighte size, smoking, and physical activity,
the risk from diet drinks remained elevated. This suggests that

(02:59):
the problem isn't just that people who drink diet soda
are already at higher risk for diabetes. Instead, it's that
these beverages may be contributing directly to that risk. So
how can diet soda increase diabetes risk? Researchers don't have
all the answers yet, but there are some clues. Some

(03:21):
artificial sweeteners may affect the gut microbiome in ways that
impair how our bodies handle sugar. Others might confuse the
body's natural insulin response, leading to blood sugar spikes even
without real sugar being present. And there's also the possibility
that drinking diet sodas may lead people to overeat in

(03:42):
other areas, thinking they've saved calories on their drinks. In short,
artificial sweeteners might not be as neutral as we once thought. Australia,
like many countries, has a growing diabetes problem. About one
in twenty Australians has diabetes, most of it type two.

(04:03):
Many drink soft drinks regularly, and while public health efforts
have focused on reducing sugary drink consumption through campaigns and
proposals for sugar taxes, there has been far less scrutiny
of diet drinks. This new study suggests that swapping a
regular soda for a diet one may not be a
free pass after all. So what should you drink instead? Water, tea,

(04:28):
coffee without added sugar, and sparkling water are safer beds.
If you need flavor, adding a splash of citrus or
a few slices of cucumber can help. It's also worth
checking how often you reach for diet options out of habit,
and whether you're doing so in the belief that they're harmless.
This study is one of the largest and most rigorous

(04:51):
to date examining the long term health impacts of sweetened
beverages in Australia. Its findings challenge the assumption that diet
drinks are a healthier alternative to sugary SODA's and call
for public health policies to address both types of drinks.
So next time you're reaching for a can labeled zero sugar,

(05:11):
it might be worth asking zero sugar, yes, but at
what cost? That's it? For? This episode of the paper
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(05:33):
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