Diet Drinks And Metabolic Syndrome

Approximately 47 million Americans have metabolic syndrome, and the number is increasing, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Common causes of metabolic syndrome include genetics, aging, obesity and physical inactivity. Research is ongoing about the effect of diet, including diet drinks, on the incidence of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome Factors

The American Heart Association defines metabolic syndrome as the presence of three or more of the following factors: a waist circumference of 40 inches or more for men and 35 inches or greater for women; a triglyceride level of 150 mg/dL or higher; a reduced level of high-density lipoprotein, or good cholesterol, that is less than 40 mg/dL for men and less than 50 mg/dL for women; elevated blood pressure that is equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg; and elevated fasting glucose that is equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL.

Health Risks

Having any of the risk factors for metabolic syndrome increases your risk of many chronic diseases. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, having metabolic syndrome makes you twice as likely to have heart disease. The buildup of plaque that occurs in heart disease may lead to stroke, heart attack and peripheral vascular disease. Metabolic syndrome is also called insulin resistance syndrome, meaning your body cannot use insulin properly, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. People with metabolic syndrome are five times more likely to have diabetes.

Effects of Diet Drinks

You may turn to diet drinks to decrease calories when trying to maintain or lose weight, but research suggests that it may increase your health risk. A study by Ravi Dhingra and colleagues explored the connection between soft drinks and metabolic syndrome among the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study participants. Men and women who consumed one or more diet soft drinks per day had a 50 percent higher incidence of metabolic syndrome compared to those who drank less than one diet soft drink per day. The same was true for consumption of regular soft drinks.

Dietary Patterns

Another study published in "Circulation" found a similar relationship between diet soft drinks and metabolic syndrome. Pamela Lutsey and her team at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health followed up on 9514 study participants after nine years. They found consumption of a "Western dietary pattern" -- meat, fried food and diet soft drinks -- increased the incidence of metabolic syndrome.

Implications

Many theories are behind the mechanism between diet drinks and metabolic syndrome, including the fact that consumers of diet drinks have a greater intake of calories and saturated and trans fats, and drinking diet or regular soft drinks causes a greater preference for sweet foods. Authors of both studies conclude that further research is needed to determine a clearer relationship between diet drinks and metabolic syndrome. Cutting back on diet drinks may be a good idea until further recommendations are made. Sparkling or flavored water and low-fat or fat-free milk are diet-drink alternatives.