Now diet drinks cause strokes and dementia

[donheff]

So now we have two new studies showing that diet sodas and juices and sugar laden juices are associated with higher rates of dementia. One claimed a 33% relative increase for stroke and dementia over ten years with as little as one diet soda a day. (That one didn't find a problem with sugar). These studies are irritating. Researchers just mine the Framingham data-set and pull out correlations. Then they speculate - maybe it is real cause and effect, maybe the unhealthy cohort switched to diet drinks in a vain attempt to stave off consequences, maybe... This is the same technique that shows weight gain from diet drinks. Argh, switch to water only? Forgo my morning coffee with cream and Splenda? Switch to Stevia? - but who knows what the correlation correlates to? This is all over the news so we will be hearing about it for a while.

 

[Dash man]

Yeah, it seems whatever agenda someone has they can find data to manipulate any way they want to support it. Whether it's to make a buck by getting grant money or some ideology they're pushing, the data can be twisted in favor or against anything.

 

[Nemo2]

Can't count the number of times we've been in the checkout line behind huge people who have a cart loaded with artificial 'food'......and always the obligatory case of 'diet' soda.......dementia already at work?

 

[marko]

Yeah, it seems whatever agenda someone has they can find data to manipulate any way they want to support it. Whether it's to make a buck by getting grant money or some ideology they're pushing, the data can be twisted in favor or against anything.

Next study: Swallowing saliva causes cancer!

 

[Dash man]

It's been 14 months since I last had a diet soda, and never did like sugary sodas much. I wonder what disease I'm in for by upsetting my body chemistry by changing my diet?

 

[REWahoo]

Next study: Swallowing saliva causes cancer!

Face it - living kills you.

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Latest study: "Living increases your chances of dying to 100%."

 

[Amethyst]

Dementia seems to be the No. 1 fear these days, so all the scare-mongers are linking everything to it, while the snake-oil (coconut oil) mongers are all claiming their particular nostrum will cure or prevent Alzheimer's.

I remember when everything was said to either cause, or prevent, cancer. Nobody used to mention dementia.

 

[Chuckanut]

It is confusing and that is why I am a JERF.

JERF - Just Eat Real Food

What is real food? My definition is that the food should be as close as reasonably possible to the way it came out of the ground or off the animal. IMHO, that leaves a lot of room for various ways of preparing, combining, mixing and cooking the food.

What is reasonable? I figure it's something that my grandmother could have done to the food in her kitchen 50 to 100 years ago. I don't have to do it myself, it's just that she could have done it. For example, churning milk into butter passes my reasonable test. Adding another hydrogen atom to seed oils to create trans-fats does not. That's me. Your definition of reasonable may differ.

 

[Sojourner]

JERF - Just Eat Real Food

What is real food? My definition is that the food should be as close as reasonably possible to the way it came out of the ground or off the animal. IMHO, that leaves a lot of room for various ways of preparing, combining, mixing and cooking the food.

+1

And IMHO, diet sodas are just about the polar opposite of real food. I haven't had one in probably 5+ years, and I have maybe 2 or 3 sugary sodas per year.

 

[wrigley]

It's not just diet soda that's not good for you!

Woman died from drinking 10 liters of Coke a day, coroner says | Fox News


Mike

 

[Sojourner]

These studies are irritating. Researchers just mine the Framingham data-set and pull out correlations. Then they speculate - maybe it is real cause and effect, maybe the unhealthy cohort switched to diet drinks in a vain attempt to stave off consequences, maybe... This is the same technique that shows weight gain from diet drinks.

Yeah, it seems whatever agenda someone has they can find data to manipulate any way they want to support it. Whether it's to make a buck by getting grant money or some ideology they're pushing, the data can be twisted in favor or against anything.

So, what... are we saying there is no objective truth and researchers should just give up looking for it? This whole idea that all data is "relative" and just something to be manipulated to push an agenda speaks to a lack of understanding of how peer-reviewed research works. Generally, before a team of scientists publishes the results of a study, it has to pass muster with disinterested 3rd party anonymous reviewers who can challenge the findings, the methodology, the interpretation of the results, etc. Sure, sometimes this process doesn't work perfectly and bad data gets through... but what is the alternative?

 

[mpeirce]

Researchers just mine the Framingham data-set and pull out correlations. Then they speculate...

Personally, I ignore "health studies" like this. Playing with statistic just doesn't hack it anymore.

Maybe someday science will get back to the scientific method - that includes testable predictions.

 

[Meadbh]

It is confusing and that is why I am a JERF.

JERF - Just Eat Real Food

What is real food? My definition is that the food should be as close as reasonably possible to the way it came out of the ground or off the animal. IMHO, that leaves a lot of room for various ways of preparing, combining, mixing and cooking the food.

What is reasonable? I figure it's something that my grandmother could have done to the food in her kitchen 50 to 100 years ago. I don't have to do it myself, it's just that she could have done it. For example, churning milk into butter passes my reasonable test. Adding another hydrogen atom to seed oils to create trans-fats does not. That's me. Your definition of reasonable may differ.

+2

It's amazing what you can come up with using primary ingredients. A little seasoning can make all the difference.

 

[audreyh1]

So now we have two new studies showing that diet sodas and juices and sugar laden juices are associated with higher rates of dementia. One claimed a 33% relative increase for stroke and dementia over ten years with as little as one diet soda a day. (That one didn't find a problem with sugar). These studies are irritating. Researchers just mine the Framingham data-set and pull out correlations. Then they speculate - maybe it is real cause and effect, maybe the unhealthy cohort switched to diet drinks in a vain attempt to stave off consequences, maybe... This is the same technique that shows weight gain from diet drinks. Argh, switch to water only? Forgo my morning coffee with cream and Splenda? Switch to Stevia? - but who knows what the correlation correlates to? This is all over the news so we will be hearing about it for a while.

I never liked the taste of diet sodas, and regular sodas are way, way too sweet. So I enjoy sparkling water, sometimes with a splash of fruit juice like pomegranate. Very satisfying. Otherwise, sure, water.

I think you can wean yourself off of sweet tasting drinks. It's gotta be better for you.

 

[tmm99]

So I enjoy sparkling water, sometimes with a splash of fruit juice like pomegranate.

+1.

My fave - sparkling water with orange or grapefruit flavor like Perrier. I should try making my own.


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[tmm99]

Can't count the number of times we've been in the checkout line behind huge people who have a cart loaded with artificial 'food'......and always the obligatory case of 'diet' soda.

+1



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[audreyh1]

+1.

My fave - sparkling water with orange or grapefruit flavor like Perrier. I should try making my own.


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HEB has a really nice line of lightly flavored sparkling waters. We're partial to the orange flavor. I like the Perrier with lime.

You can always squeeze a little lemon or lime in your plain sparkling water - that's very easy.

 

[H2ODude]

I love science and hate the bad rap it's getting from politicians. Hearing, "i'm no scientist but...." from a politician is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Meanwhile I blame much of these pseudo health studies for the continuing disrespect science is getting. There are an awful lot of people who can't see through the fog and use these studies to justify dismissing anything science based. Oh well.

 

[Meadbh]

I love science and hate the bad rap it's getting from politicians. Hearing, "i'm no scientist but...." from a politician is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Meanwhile I blame much of these pseudo health studies for the continuing disrespect science is getting. There are an awful lot of people who can't see through the fog and use these studies to justify dismissing anything science based. Oh well.

+1000!

 

[tmm99]

HEB has a really nice line of lightly flavored sparkling waters. We're partial to the orange flavor. I like the Perrier with lime.



You can always squeeze a little lemon or lime in your plain sparkling water - that's very easy.

I will definitely check out HEB. Thanks!


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[razztazz]

I love science and hate the bad rap it's getting from politicians. Hearing, "i'm no scientist but...." from a politician is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Meanwhile I blame much of these pseudo health studies for the continuing disrespect science is getting. There are an awful lot of people who can't see through the fog and use these studies to justify dismissing anything science based. Oh well.

If scientists don't like the bad rapp and disrespect they get from these studies, maybe they should stop doing bad science? Seeing through the fog isn't a one-way street. If little or no fog is being generated and --SOLD-- the non-scientists general population won't ave such a hard time seeing through it

Scientists and their Science as Religion worshipers don't get much more credibility from me than any other politician or businessman seeking to use their position to like their pockets and increase their own image

 

[W2R]

I hardly drink diet soda any more at all.

I don't buy it to drink at home, because it is a lot to lug home from the supermarket for zero calories and it isn't that good for me anyway.

Sometimes I order one at a restaurant, maybe once a month or so. But restaurant diet sodas make me cough for some unknown reason, plus restaurant prices for diet soda are completely insane/exorbitant ($3 for a diet Coke? Really? ) so I usually just order tap water.

So good! I am glad that *if* this is a problem, it isn't one for me to worry about. I agree that the study was apparently very poorly done. I am always concerned about strokes because my brother had several debilitating strokes in 2002, at only age 60, and has been in a care facility ever since that time as a result.

 

[6miths]

Doomed I tell you, we're all doomed!!

On the brighter side, based on my Diet Coke intake, I won't have the faculties to be bothered when the end finally comes.

 

[easysurfer]

So, my belly ache each time I had (quit diet soda a while ago) wasn't just in my mind after all?