Drinking diet soda may actually increase belly fat: New study dissects the link between artificial sweeteners and your waistline

New studies show consumption of diet soda leads to belly fat. The presence of belly fat may be what medical studies has been missing in the analysis between artificial sweeteners and serious health risks, although some other factors can contribute.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - People who consume diet soda at least once per day experience a faster increase on their waistline measurements.

In an study recording a large groups daily lifestyles and anatomy, it was revealed that the daily diet soda consumers had an increase of 3.16-inches in their waistline on average; the largest, in comparison to the 1.83-inches of the occasional drinkers and the 0.8-inches of the non-drinkers.

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The artificial sweeteners may have altered the ratio of bacteria in the gut which in turn affected the digestion of food and the body's metabolism, contributing to overweight and obesity.

Sharon Fowler, one of the study's authors, said that "The gut microbiome is like our personal inner rainforest. If our intestines are like an ecosystem, then could drinking highly acidic drinks like sodas day after day be comparable to acid rain in a real rainforest?"

Metabolic dysfunction could be caused by the hyper-sweetness of the drink that then hyper-activates receptors triggering the release of unnecessary insulin, or failing to do so if it's needed.

The term diet also tricks us psychologically, thinking that we are drinking something with less so we could take in more.

However, Marion Nestle, a food expert, said that "Belly fat is about genetics plus calorie balance."

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