New York, NYResults from a just published study that followed more than 2500 New Yorkers for over nine years shows a link between diet soda consumption and risk for heart attack and stroke. The study was presented during the annual conference of the American Stroke Association held in Los Angeles.
In fact, the study found a 48 percent increased risk for vascular events among people who consumed diet soda on a daily basis, compared with people who did not drink diet soda.
Notably, the researchers found that even after controlling for other risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels, an increased risk for stroke and heart attack remained.
The study followed 2,564 Manhattan residents for nearly a decade, and surveyed their eating behaviors, exercise habits, and cigarette and alcohol consumption. The participants underwent physical check-ups including blood pressure measurements and blood tests for cholesterol levels.