By now it’s clear that soda is America’s favorite drink. Soda has replaced water, milk, juice, lemonade, coffee, and tea at the meal table, but to what effect on our health?

A recent study at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital revealed that women who drank 4 cans of regular soda a day had an increased risk of developing high blood pressure. There was a slightly lower risk for diet soda drinkers.

There’s an endless variety of soda to choose from on supermarket shelves--some with caffeine and some without. Some sodas are made with regular sugar, and some with artificial sweeteners. Diet soda, in particular, is a favorite among people who want to enjoy the taste of soda without the fattening calories. However, diet soda is not the solution to losing weight as many people think it is.

A new study conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio found that while drinking a lot of soda overall was linked to an increased risk of obesity, diet soda, in particular, seems to lead to a higher risk of gaining weight.

“There’s a 41% increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day,” said Dr. Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, who presented the findings to the American Diabetes Association in San Diego, CA.

Risk of obesity for those who drink regular soft drinks:

**26% for up to ½ can per day

**30.4% for ½ to one can per day

**32.8% for 1 to 2 cans per day

**47.2% for more than 2 cans each day

Risk of obesity for those who drink diet soft drinks:

**36% for up to ½ can each day

**37.5 for ½ to one can each day

**54.5% for 1 to 2 cans each day

**57.1% for more than 2 cans each day

However, Fowler notes that diet soda is not a “cause” of obesity, but is probably linked to something else in the person’s eating behavior.

Nutrition expert Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD states, “You have to look at what’s on your plate, not just what’s in your glass.”

Americans love fast food. We also love big portions. It’s common to see people drinking diet soda with food that is high in fat and calories. That diet soda in your hand may be giving you a false sense of security. You’ll think that it’s okay to have that double cheeseburger and large fries because you’re getting a diet soda to go with it.

Researchers are also beginning to suspect that artificial sweeteners cause the body to crave more calories, not less.

“People think they can just fool the body. But maybe the body isn’t fooled,” Bonci said.

Given the fact that obesity is a major health crisis for children and adults in America, choosing healthier alternatives to soda at lunch and dinner tables might help to turn the tide on the country’s bulging mid-sections, and, help us become the fabulously fit country we used to be.

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