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Fitness & Health

14th Oct 2017

Bad news – this is why even diet fizzy drinks lead to you putting on stomach fat

Oh FFS. We've been gulping down diet cola like nobody's business!

Cathy Donohue

Oh FFS.

You might think nothing of picking up a fizzy drink to combat the dreaded 4 pm slump but it could be the reason why your tummy just won’t tone, no matter how many crunches you commit to.

According to Shape.com, a study published in a journal entitled Obesity found that drinking fizzy drinks regularly lead to an increase in tummy fat and the diet version wasn’t without its repercussions either.

Diet drinks were linked to an increase in waist size and an increase in the total percentage of fat.

Woman comparing ingredients on soda bottle

Numerous studies have found that drinking fizzy drinks brings on sugar cravings and aside from the effect this has on your waistline, these beverages spell bad news for your teeth due to the presence of carbonic and phosphoric acid.

It’s a bit of a vicious circle because the fizzy drinks give you an instant sugar kick but then this leads to more cravings and you’re right back where you started.

Sodas are carbonated too which draws gas into your stomach and intestine, often causing a bloated effect, which can be quite uncomfortable.

Cutting them out entirely may not happen but reducing the amount you drink could be worth a try. Not just for belly fat but to mind your teeth and of course, overall wellbeing too.