This is the part I find most interesting:
Quote:
In the Purdue study, the rats whose diets contained artificial sweeteners appeared to experience a physiological connection between sweet tastes and calories, which drove them to overeat.
I would bet that the gains associated came almost entirely, if not 100%, from this. It has been said here at 3FC for years that, for some people, diet sodas trigger cravings, overeating, etc. For others, they don't. But yes, if drinking diet sodas affects your brain chemistry such that you eat more than you burn, you'll gain weight.
I still see no evidence in this study that artificial sweeteners are, independent of changing eating habits, causing weight gain or affecting metabolism, only that, in rats, drinking diet sodas made them eat more, resulting in a weight gain.
It is so fascinating to me how study results (we gave rats diet soda, they ate more than rats that did not have diet soda, they gained weight) get sensationalized in the media (Diet Soda Makes You Fat!!). No, eating more made rats fat.