Photographer Stéphane Sednaoui captures super-buff designer Marc Jacobs in this Diet Coke 2013 campaign. Jacobs joins Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld in extolling the benefits of drinking diet soda. 

The Science of Diet Sodas

In fact, the science behind diet sodas reveals a very different picture of both weight management success and overall health issues. A study released on January 8th in advance of the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in San Diego in March tracks 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71 at enrollment. First evaluated in 1995/6, the study participants were again evaluated 10 years later, as to whether or not they were treated for depression. Science Daily reports:

People who drank more than four cans or cups per day of soda were 30 percent more likely to develop depression than those who drank no soda. Those who drank four cans of fruit punch per day were about 38 percent more likely to develop depression than those who did not drink sweetened drinks. People who drank four cups of coffee per day were about 10 percent less likely to develop depression than those who drank no coffee. The risk appeared to be greater for people who drank diet than regular soda, diet than regular fruit punches and for diet than regular iced tea.

Does Diet Soda Make You Fat?

Obesity Reviews argues in a new paper that assuming high amounts of fructose, artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols (another type of low-calorie sweetener) interferes with satiety signals and metabolism.

“An evolution of the gut flora to this new sweetener-rich environment has a potential to negatively impact our health,” says Amanda Payne, Ph.D., lead author of the review.