Diet Drinks Are Not Helpful After All    [08-07-2011] Obesity is a serious problem in many countries, including Canada, Britain, and U.S. One of the causes of the global pandemic is soda. The sweet drinks contain too much sugar, which makes people gain weight. However, for many soda lovers, it is hard to avoid the refreshing soft drinks completely. So they opt for diet soda to cut down on their sugar intake. However, a recent study found that diet drinks are not effective in losing weight. A study looked into 474 people to see the effects of drinking diet sodas. The study was conducted in the U.S. over the last 10 years. Researchers at the School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio found that diet drinks actually made people gain more weight. The study found that for people who drank two or more cans of diet soda a day, their waists grew 6 times as quickly than those who did not drink them! The researchers looked at waist measurements and weight in the participants, comparing those who didn’t drink diet drinks with those who did. The result was quite shocking. Diet soft drink consumers saw 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference, compared to those who didn’t drink. Some heavy diet soda drinkers even experienced a 500 percent greater increase! “The study showed that those who consume diet drinks tend to get fatter, instead of getting thinner,” said Professor Helen Hazuda, who led the study. “The more diet soda people drank, the more weight they put on.” Most diet sodas, or sugar-free and low-calorie drinks contain artificial sweeteners to replace sugar. However, many doctors say that these artificial sweeteners can boost people’s appetites, making them eat more. “Artificial sweeteners may not be healthy alternatives for sugar after all. As the study shows, those who drink diet sodas tend to get fatter,” warned Professor Hazuda. Now you know why you should not drink soft drinks and diet sodas! Try to stay away from them for your health. Instead, reach for fresh fruits and vegetables!     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)