Obesity Discussion Forums

[Columbia News Service]

Hello -

I'm a journalist writing a story about a new study linking no-calorie sugar substitutes to weight gain. I'm looking to speak with people who have been regularly consuming large amounts of zero-calorie sweet products (like Diet Coke) and have still had trouble losing weight. Or, if you've stopped using sugar-substitutes and that has helped reduce body weight, same thing.

The piece is for the Columbia News Service - please email me if you are interested in answering a few quick questions: Lpd2104@columbia.edu

Many thanks.

[dreamblooms]

Originally Posted by Columbia News Service

Hello -

I'm a journalist writing a story about a new study linking no-calorie sugar substitutes to weight gain. I'm looking to speak with people who have been regularly consuming large amounts of zero-calorie sweet products (like Diet Coke) and have still had trouble losing weight. Or, if you've stopped using sugar-substitutes and that has helped reduce body weight, same thing.

The piece is for the Columbia News Service - please email me if you are interested in answering a few quick questions: Lpd2104@columbia.edu

Many thanks.

What's the Columbia News Service? Ok, probably some undergrad thing. You sound very bright, but young, so let me point out something...which is, always question the premise.

Many people consuming foods processed with artificial sweeteners are also likely to gorge on real junk and sweets. Or have a Diet Coke with the cheeseburger to "feel virtuous," or "undo the guilt" from other binges.

Consult a physician before you go any further. S/he'll tell you that it's metabolically impossible for artificial sweeteners alone to cause weight gain.

P.S. You forgot to cite your "new study."

[Columbia News Service]

Dreamblooms,

Thanks for your reply. The study is from Purdue University this February and appeared in Behavioral Neuroscience.

You're right about the premise; I'm aware that sugar-substitutes should not be considered in isolation from other factors.

Again, let me know if you're willing to answer a few questions on the topic.

Columbia News Service is a newswire put out by graduate journalism students at Columbia University. It goes out on the New York Times newswire to about 400 papers in the U.S. and Canada.

Many thanks.

[Mollymouser]

I stopped drinking diet sodas in August 2007, and I've greatly reduced my reliance on artificial sweeteners since I found that they caused me to crave carbs (which wasn't helping my weight loss efforts, at all.) Skipping diet sodas has also reduced my intake of sodium, as an added bonus, as well as caffeine .... which is helpful in controlling high blood pressure (which can impact many people who are overweight.) Finally, I decided that all those artificial colors weren't helping my kidneys, either.

So, while I do occasionally eat products containing artificial sweeteners, I really have been seeking to minimize them, and I never add sucralose to anything.... I just don't see chlorined sugar molecules as something that can possibly be healthy for me, after all.

Anyway, for the last 6+ months, my diet has minimized artificial sweeteners, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, junk food, fast food, refined flours, refined sugar ... and relied heavily on lean proteins, whole grains, and LOTS of veggies ... and I've lost 85 pounds. (And gone OFF insulin, by the way!)

Healthy eating and balanced nutrition (with modest exercise) really is the key to long-term sustainable weight loss.

=^..^= MOLLY

[Gord0n]

Its funny how this is the magic secret. So simple, yet this is it.

Originally Posted by Mollymouser

Healthy eating and balanced nutrition (with modest exercise) really is the key to long-term sustainable weight loss.

=^..^= MOLLY

I too have cut out 99% of the junk I used to eat, and eat mainly Fish/ChickenBreast/Eggwhites for protein, and tons TONS of vegetables. But i still drink the diet sodas, as they kill that crave i get for something sweet. I drink on average 1 can a day of diet soda (Sprite zero is my #1 and diet RootBeer is #2) But I have recently found Diet Rite which has no aspartain, but rather splenda.

[idansh]

Do put the attension on sugar replacement , I stopped srinking coke and all the sugar drinks even juice and it helped me loose many kg just by stopping driking those junk drinks full of sugar.

[bigdaddy38]

Sobe has alot of drinks with low or even no calories, and the flavors are awesome I still try to limit myself to maybe one a week, I think the more we stick with water the easier it is to not be tempted by drinks loaded with calories.

[Obesity Discussion]

Originally Posted by bigdaddy38

Sobe has alot of drinks with low or even no calories, and the flavors are awesome I still try to limit myself to maybe one a week, I think the more we stick with water the easier it is to not be tempted by drinks loaded with calories.

You mean the Sobe lean drinks! I love those things! Kinda pricey though. Usually around $1.70 each....and I could easily drink one a day.

[bigdaddy38]

Originally Posted by Columbia News Service

Hello -

I'm a journalist writing a story about a new study linking no-calorie sugar substitutes to weight gain. I'm looking to speak with people who have been regularly consuming large amounts of zero-calorie sweet products (like Diet Coke) and have still had trouble losing weight. Or, if you've stopped using sugar-substitutes and that has helped reduce body weight, same thing.

The piece is for the Columbia News Service - please email me if you are interested in answering a few quick questions: Lpd2104@columbia.edu

Many thanks.

I remember in Seattle a couple months ago they were talking about a study that showed that the difference between drinking diet soda and regular was negligable there really was not difference, and the people who drank diet drinks drank a lot more because there were no calories in them, and the sugar substitutes in them may be harmful.


Yes the Sobe lean drinks rock, but I still try not drinking it that often, I find its easier just to keep water with me at all times, and your right they do cost quite a bit.