San Diegans reacted on Wednesday to a newly-released study that suggests those who drink diet soda may be at higher risk for heart attack or stroke. Every year, Americans drink 50 billion gallons of soda and many choose diet soda for one reason or another. "There's less calories in diet soda than in regular soda," said local soda drinker Donald Osborne. Yvette Pahlow agrees. "Save the calories for something good," she said.
When asked if diet soda was his favorite drink of choice, Brent Consedine responded, "Other than beer, yeah."But after 10News shared the results of a nine-year study by the University of Miami School of Medicine that links daily soda consumption to heart attack or stroke, some diet soda drinkers became concerned. When asked if he was alarmed by the study, Osborne said, "Yes, absolutely.
Some, however, didn't even flinch. "Would it make you think twice about drinking diet soda?" asked 10News reporter Preston Phillips. "Probably not. I would not want the added calories of regular soda," said Consedine.
The study, which began in 2003, was conducted on more than 2,500 soda-drinking New Yorkers. During that time, 559 cardiovascular events were recorded. Researchers concluded that those who drank diet soda every day had a 61 percent higher rate of cardiovascular events, including heart attack and stroke.
Though the study is making many people question their next sip of diet soda, one top San Diego cardiologist who drinks diet soda daily told 10News the study is creating unnecessary alarm and panic.
"I'm not suggesting that diet sodas are good for one's health, but certainly to say they have significant risk for heart attacks or stroke –we sure don't know that yet," said Scripps cardiologist Eric Topol.
Topol called this a one of a kind study because there's never been another one like it. However, he said it's impossible to know if it has any veracity until it's studied further.
"It's silly," said Topol. "There really isn't anything to it at this point in time. This is the kind of thing that gets consumers worried unnecessarily, when in fact, there's just so little here."