AI Image
Study reveals whether diet soda or water is better for weight loss
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- A two-year randomized trial by the University of Liverpool found that diet drinks with sugar substitutes were as effective as water in supporting weight loss among overweight or obese adults.
- The study involved 493 participants with BMIs between 27 and 35, who consumed either 22.3 ounces of water or sugar-free diet beverages daily for 104 weeks, resulting in similar weight loss (10.6 pounds for diet drinks, 8.2 pounds for water).
- Both groups maintained significant weight loss and reductions in body fat and waist/hip measurements over two years, with no meaningful differences in cholesterol levels or hunger and sugar intake.
- Experts noted that weight loss was likely due to the structured weight-management program rather than the beverages themselves, emphasizing diet drinks as a calorie-saving substitution rather than a metabolic aid.
- Limitations include the single-location setting in England, lack of race and ethnicity data, and a high dropout rate, which may affect the generalizability and interpretation of the results.
