People who consume light sodas tend to eat more than those who adopt the sweet version, according to a recent study.
Less calories in the glass, more in the plate. This is the conclusion of a study by the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland, United States), recently published in theAmerican Journal of Public Health. It is based on a survey of 24,000 people over 10 years on the impact of light drinks on calorie consumption over a day.
On average, the amount of calories consumed each day is the same for an overweight or obese person. But the number of calories from solid foods varies depending on the drink you choose. Thus, overweight people who drink light soda eat 91 calories more than those who drink sugary sodas. Obese participants ingest an additional 161 calories if they choose sweeteners over sugar.
Drink light and allow yourself to eat more
“Switching to diet sodas doesn’t really make sense if you start eating more,” said Sara Bleich, lead author of the study. If you want to reduce your calorie intake, “the switch from sugary drink to light drink should be associated with other changes, including reducing snacks. For the researcher, this impact of light drinks on the amount of calories absorbed can be explained in two ways: either because sweeteners affect the metabolism, or because of a psychological phenomenon. Participants would think that since they consume fewer calories through the drink, they can add more to their plate.
No causal link between diet sodas and calories ingested
But this study has several limitations. First, it is a 24 hour photograph for each participant. It is therefore impossible to deduce the impact of sweeteners on the general food balance. In addition, this study only allows an association between light sodas and quantity of calories ingested. It is impossible to derive a cause-effect link from it. In a statement, the American Beverage Association reacted to the study: “Losing or maintaining weight is about balancing the number of calories consumed and those burned during physical activity. “
Remember that the best remedy for overweight is a healthy lifestyle: practice moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, vary your diet, consume 5 fruits and vegetables, avoid foods saturated with fats and sugars and do not consume too much of sugary drinks … without overdoing the light!
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