Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, and colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, reported to the 65th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association that there is an association between the use of diet soda and excess weight.
   In her study, "Diet Soft Drink Consumption Is Associated with Increased Incidence of Overweight and Obesity in the San Antonio Heart Study," she measured soft drink consumption in cans per day for Mexican Americans and European Americans, aged 25-64 years (N=1,550). She measured body mass index (BMI) at both baseline and at seven-to eight-year followup. Of the normal-weight (BMI < 25) individuals at baseline who were available at followup (n=622), 32.7% had become overweight (OW, BMI >/=25).
   Overweight increased with soft drink dose for both diet-only and regular-only consumers; the lowest incidence rates were in regular-only soft drink consumers, and the highest, overall, in those who drank about half diet and half regular soda. The odds ratio (OR) for OW for each diet soft drink consumed per day was 1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13 to 2.26, P=0.008); the OR for each soft drink consumed of any kind (total: diet plus regular) was 1.42 (CI, 1.15 to 1.74, P= 0.001).
   The OR per can of diet soda consumed per day for obesity (OB, BMI >/=30) was 1.41 (CI, 1.12 to 1.77, P= 0.003), an increased risk of 41%. The OR per can of any soda (total) consumed per day for OB was 1.18 (CI: 0.99-1.40, P=0.068).
   According to Fowler et al, the increasing incidence of OW with increasing doses of diet soft drinks "raises questions about the advisability of reliance on these products for weight control."