Diet Soda and Stroke Risk

February 9/Los Angeles/AHN -- According to a new study presented February 9 at the American Stroke Association Conference in Los Angeles, people who drank diet soda daily have a 61% increased risk of heart attack and stroke compared to those who drank no soda, even when accounting for smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption and calories consumed per day.

The study not only suggests that diet soda is not an optimal sugar substitute for sugar sweetened beverages, but that it also poses some health risks.

However, the questionnaire-based, yet-to-republished study of more than 2,500 people, has attracted a great deal of angst and ire from myriad health care professionals and experts in diet, nutrition and vascular disease.

Among the many flaws cited in the study, some health care professionals say, is that participants were asked about soda intake at only one point in time when they entered the study.

 From the February 10, 2012, Prepared Foods' Daily News.