Diet soft drinks linked to heart risk
People who regularly consume diet soft drinks may be harming their health, new research suggests.Scientists at the University of Miami and Columbia University Medical Centre discovered that daily consumption of these drinks may increase a person's risk of stroke and heart attack.
Among 2,564 study participants, those who drank diet soft drinks each day were 43 per cent more likely to have suffered a vascular event during the ten-year study period than those who drank none.
In contrast, people who regularly drank normal soft drinks and only had a moderate intake of diet versions did not seem to have an increased risk.
The findings, which are published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, suggest that the artificial sweeteners in diet soft drinks may harm the vascular system.
Researcher Hannah Gardener commented: "Our results suggest a potential association between daily diet soft drink consumption and vascular outcomes.
"There is a need for further research before any conclusions can be drawn regarding the potential health consequences of diet soft drink consumption."
The study follows separate research in the Journal of Nutrition which found that many youngsters with a high intake of fructose - a sweetener found in many soft drinks - showed signs of being at risk of heart disease and diabetes.
