By Zelda Felix-Mottley, Michigan State University Extension
As we age, it seems that it is harder to control body weight, especially the protrusion and flattening of certain body parts. It appears as though, for no good reason, our bellies poke out a little more and our buttocks flatten a little more. A potential culprit for that protruding belly is diet soda or beverages with artificial sweeteners.
In an article by Wiley of Science Daily, a study shows a direct link between the high consumption of diet drinks and the increase of belly fat in older adults. The study also references, with the increase in belly fat, that there is the increased risk of other diseases related to obesity. If you are one of the individuals who, in an effort to reduce the intake of sugary drinks have turned to diet drinks and you find yourself drinking one or more diet drinks daily, here are some suggestions to your decrease your intake:
- Substitute at least one diet drink with real fruit-flavored water, like lemons, strawberries, peaches, etc.
- Replace one diet drink, per day with a tall glass of plain, cold water.
- When eating out, alternate your beverages by substituting a glass of water with lemon every other time you eat out.
- Identify your favorite diet drink, if they don’t have it on the menu, drink water instead.
- Order unsweetened fruit tea instead of a diet soda.
- Plan to reduce your diet soda intake to only a few times a week, then progress to only a few times a month, or less.
Eventually, over time, you should experience some reduction in belly fat. Read more about other health, nutrition and weight management topics through Michigan State University Extension. There are many tips to encourage you to work on habits that may be contributing to extra fat and help reduce some risks factors related to obesity.
