A study by the University of Liverpool found that both diet soda and water can help with weight loss over a two-year period, although those drinking diet beverages lost slightly more weight—about 10.6 pounds compared to 8.2 pounds for water drinkers. The research involved 493 participants aged 18 to 65 who were overweight or obese (BMI of 27 to 35). Both groups showed similar reductions in body fat and waist measurements, with no significant differences in hunger levels or sugar intake at the end of the trial. Notably, diet beverages contained sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, but did not cause additional weight gain compared to water. Registered dietitian Alix Turoff emphasized that while these drinks can be useful for calorie reduction, they are not a magic solution for weight loss without overall lifestyle changes.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-08,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
A study led by the University of Liverpool compared diet drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) to plain water for weight loss among 493 overweight or obese adults aged 18 to 65. Participants received either 22.3 ounces of water daily or an equivalent volume of diet beverages, including diet sodas and low-calorie fruit drinks with sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose. After two years, the diet drink group lost about 10.6 pounds, while the water group lost approximately 8.2 pounds. Both groups maintained their weight loss without continued support over the last year of the study, showing similar reductions in body fat and waist circumference. The research suggests that NNS drinks are as effective as water for supporting long-term weight management, though experts note they do not have a "magical metabolic effect."
Written for “Diet Soda Vs Water Study” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 66762 · logged 2026-10-08
The study, led by the University of Liverpool, England, included 493 participants ranging from 18 to 65 years old, all of whom had a body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 35 (overweight or obese).
asserted
all → lead → 27
Half of them received 22.3 ounces of water each day, and the other half received the same amount of soda with non-nutritive sweeteners (about two cans) for a 104-week period.
asserted
half → receive → period
The group assigned to NNS drinks could choose from a variety of diet sodas, low-calorie fruit drinks and flavored waters.
uncertain
group → assign → sodas
The primary sweeteners used were aspartame, acesulfame potassium and sucralose.
asserted
sweeteners → use → ?
After two years, people drinking diet beverages had lost about 10.6 pounds, while those drinking water lost about 8.2 pounds.
asserted
those → drink → pounds
People in both groups kept off a meaningful amount of weight for two years, even during the last year when they no longer had regular weight-management support, the researchers stated.
asserted
researchers → keep → support
Both groups lost inches around their waists and hips and reduced body fat, but there was no meaningful difference between people drinking diet beverages and those drinking water.
asserted
groups → lose → water
Additionally, total cholesterol remained within the healthy range in both groups.
asserted
cholesterol → remain → groups
The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
asserted
findings → publish → Nutrition
“The study does not show that diet beverages themselves caused the weight loss,” Alix Turoff, a registered dietitian in New York City, told Fox News Digital.
asserted
Turoff → show → Digital
“Everyone in the study was participating in a structured weight-management program that included nutrition counseling, behavioral support and physical activity recommendations.”
asserted
that → participate → counseling
Turoff, who was not involved in the study, noted that the main value of including diet beverages comes down to substitution, “not that these beverages have a magical metabolic effect.”
Notably, the study compared diet beverages with water — rather than with sugar-sweetened drinks — making it a test of whether the sugar substitutes themselves appeared to hinder weight loss efforts.
asserted
substitutes → involve → efforts
“If someone normally drinks 250 calories of regular soda and switches to zero-calorie soda, then they’re saving calories,” she added.
asserted
she → drink → calories
The dietitian emphasized that these findings don’t mean water and diet soda are nutritionally identical.
asserted
water → emphasize → ?
“The study did not find significant between-group differences in hunger or sugar intake at the end of the trial, which is relevant because one common concern is that artificial sweeteners may increase appetite or lead to compensatory eating,” Turoff said.
uncertain
Turoff → find → eating
“I would still recommend water as the primary hydration choice, but I don’t think people need to be afraid of diet drinks because they think they will automatically prevent fat loss or cause weight gain.
asserted
they → recommend → gain
There were some limitations with the research, including that it was conducted at one location in England.
asserted
it → be → England
Race and ethnicity data were not collected, which limits the generalizability of the findings.
asserted
which → collect → findings
Only 220 of the 493 participants who started treatment completed the 104-week assessment.
asserted
who → start → assessment
The second-year extension was also voluntary, meaning those who continued may have been more motivated or more likely to stick with the program, Turoff noted.
uncertain
Turoff → mean → program
While the trial was funded by the American Beverage Association, the study authors stated that the association did not participate in the study design, data analysis or interpretation of the results.
asserted
association → fund → results
The Aporia
