This story has been covered at other websites, but it is worth mentioning here. This article discusses a new study that connects diet soda with the metabolic syndrome.
If you just looked at diet sodas strictly from a calorie basis, you would think they were a winner due to their low calorie content. But the key is the secondary effects of consuming this "fake" sugar. The sugar substitutes still raise blood glucose, which causes an insulin release, which over time will lead to more calories in than out, which results in weight gain.
In the article, the lead researcher asks, "“Why is it happening? Is it some kind of chemical in the diet soda?" It's not a chemical that's the problem, it's the body's exaggerated hormonal response to sugar, whether that sugar is real or artificial.
