# What is up with overweight people and Diet Coke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [June 4, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738 "2009-06-04T19:32:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/1 "2009-06-04T19:32:24Z")
It seems like it’s the official drink of the obese or something. Now, this is purely anecdotal, but it seems to me that a lot of overweight people drink Diet Coke. If you want a low-cal drink, there’s a lot of options out there, but I keep seeing overweight people choosing Diet Coke. Assuming I’m correct, I have two theories: 1. Overweight people tell themselves that they’re saving calories on what they drink and overindulge in other areas. Diet Coke is clearly a ‘diet’ product and so they tend to drink it for mostly psychological reasons. 2. Diet Coke is generally a very popular drink and I just notice overweight people drinking it because of the disconnect between a diet product and a person who is clearly not watching what they eat. Anybody else noticed this? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/2 "2009-06-04T19:47:37Z")
Mostly option 2, but it actually does save a lot of calories. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/3 "2009-06-04T19:53:41Z")
My experience is that fat people go on diets a lot. When you go on a diet, you learn to like diet soda. Once you’ve learned to like diet soda, you prefer it to regular soda - or at least would rather drink diet instead of all the empty calories. So Diet Coke, being that it’s most widely available, is what you’re going to drink when you’re out in public. No one is thinking “Ooooh, if I have a Diet Coke I can get a side of fries!” They just like Diet Coke. This is how it has worked for me, at least. I drank a regular soda the other day and almost passed out from the sugar rush. My body is just not used to such an injection of HFCS anymore. So, even if I’m eating at McDonalds and clearly not watching my calories, it’s still Diet Coke for me. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/4 "2009-06-04T19:55:50Z")
Mostly it just saves a lot of calories and tastes better than coffee. I tend to notice that pretty much everyone drinks diet coke these days. –Z, overweight but not obese. Edited to add: > [@ZipperJJ](#): > > This is how it has worked for me, at least. I drank a regular soda the other day and almost passed out from the sugar rush. My body is just not used to such an injection of HFCS anymore. So, even if I’m eating at McDonalds and clearly not watching my calories, it’s still Diet Coke for me. THIS. I can’t even enjoy a Jack and Coke anymore, it’s gotta be Coke Zero or something or I feel like my mouth’s been coated in a layer of pure evil. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/5 "2009-06-04T19:57:34Z")
I switched to diet for the reason **ZipperJJ** gave, and though I’ve not lost my taste for regular soda, I don’t miss it and it would be pointless to drink the full calorie stuff if I like the diet variety just as well. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/6 "2009-06-04T19:59:32Z")
Light beer is the same. Big fat people order 2 burgers and a side of fries, and then a light beer. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/7 "2009-06-04T20:00:27Z")
I’ve noticed this too, and is probably option 2. And now we wait for the fat police. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/8 "2009-06-04T20:11:37Z")
Option 2. most people who are overweight are not nearly as delusional as people who have never had a weight problem seem to think. ---
**Author:** ![wasson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4da419/32.png) [@wasson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wasson)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/9 "2009-06-04T20:12:54Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > My experience is that fat people go on diets a lot. When you go on a diet, you learn to like diet soda. Once you’ve learned to like diet soda, you prefer it to regular soda - or at least would rather drink diet instead of all the empty calories. So Diet Coke, being that it’s most widely available, is what you’re going to drink when you’re out in public. Yep, this one. I lost a lot of weight… from 260 to 175, and I attribute a big portion of that to cutting out regular soda. I drink a LOT of soda, so going to diet cuts a lot of calories. Since then I’ve bounced from 180 - 215 or so, but even when I get to be towards my chubby stages I drink diet soda. I’ve gotten used to the taste and, these days, prefer it to regular soda, so why should I drink the sugared stuff? I do feel a little silly sometimes when I’m on the chubby side of things and order a diet coke, but oh well. I like it more. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/10 "2009-06-04T20:18:21Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Light beer is the same. Big fat people order 2 burgers and a side of fries, and then a light beer. But for example if you’re talking about AB products: Budweiser 145 calories Bud Light 110 Bud Select 99 so you save 46 calories drinking a Select over a Bud heavy There are 145 calories in a 12oz Coke, and 0 in diet coke. Bigger “savings” in calories. But it can be argued people choose both with beer and soda, for flavor over calories and end up choosing the version with less. I happen to like Budweiser but a lot of my friends think it’s gross and prefer Select or Light. I hate hate hate diet soda but some of my friends only like it, or don’t care which they drink, and none of them worry about their calorie intake enough to turn down a beer or soda. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/11 "2009-06-04T20:29:55Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Light beer is the same. Big fat people order 2 burgers and a side of fries, and then a light beer. If only there were zero-calorie beer. Then I could get _three_ burgers! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/12 "2009-06-04T20:34:17Z")
I’m overweight, and I drink diet sodas. Purely because I think regular sodas (and stuff like Coke Zero) taste too sweet and syrupy. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/13 "2009-06-04T20:38:50Z")
So moderation is not allowed? A person is supposed to always be either wolfing down all the calories they possibly can, or starving themselves, presumably because just cutting back a little to keep from getting even fatter is just hopeless? (By “allowed” of course I mean “socially acceptable”, not “allowed by law”) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/14 "2009-06-04T20:41:06Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > Mostly it just saves a lot of calories and tastes better than coffee. I tend to notice that pretty much everyone drinks diet coke these days. I drink regular if I do, but I don’t drink much soda in general. And when I do, it’s all ginger ale. (Maybe 5-10 times a month.) I don’t really notice it being too sugary but I’m not the coke connoisseur I once was. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/15 "2009-06-04T20:44:18Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Light beer is the same. Big fat people order 2 burgers and a side of fries, and then a light beer. I know people look at me funny when I order a Supersize meal and a large diet coke. So my reasons are: - Sugared soda does not quench my thirst nor does it really clear my palate when I am washing down food. It makes me thirstier and leaves scum on my teeth. - I hate water so I can’t drink that to quench my thirst/clean my palate. Diet soda is the only other non-calorie, sweetened option at fast food and other restaurants. At home I have Crystal Light or artificially-flavored and -sweetened carbonated water. - If I want sweet to go with my salt/savory, I will get a shake or dessert. And yeah, I’ve switched to Amaretto and diet soda and it’s still tasty, but more refreshing that Amaretto and sugared soda/OJ/sour mix. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/16 "2009-06-04T20:45:31Z")
I read somewhere that diet sodas trigger the same type of insulin response as regular sodas. Thus, it’s not the calories in the drink that are the problem, but rather the hunger that the drink creates. Of course, I can’t seem to find the article. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/17 "2009-06-04T20:53:03Z")
> [@phreesh](#): > > 1. Diet Coke is generally a very popular drink and I just notice overweight people drinking it because of the disconnect between a diet product and a person who is clearly not watching what they eat. Assuming that overweight people are not ‘watching what they eat’ (i.e. dieting) is like assuming that unemployed people are not looking for jobs. Clearly some aren’t trying and many aren’t succeeding, but the ‘disconnect’ is just in your imagination. If you saw an overweight person drinking slimfast for lunch would you wonder why they’re doing it, since they’re obviously not trying to lose weight? ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/18 "2009-06-04T20:55:24Z")
I switched to diet sodas and now hate the regular stuff; it’s god-awfully sweet. Drinking a real Coke would not be some kind of treat or splurge - it would be an unpleasant exercise that would be endured, not enjoyed. So I don’t: I have Diet Coke with my Quarter Pounder. This logic seems quite straightforward to me, but in every one of these threads there seems to be somebody who just doesn’t grasp it. I suspect they are hung up on the false dichotomy that **PatriotGrrrl** mentions: A hybrid meal containing both calorie-laden and diet items is for some reason strange. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/19 "2009-06-04T21:00:01Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > - I hate water so I can’t drink that to quench my thirst/clean my palate. Diet soda is the only other non-calorie, sweetened option at fast food and other restaurants. At home I have Crystal Light or artificially-flavored and -sweetened carbonated water. I’ve never met anyone who hates water. How do you hate something that has no taste/smell and it’s only purpose is to hydrate you? I’ll definitely agree sometimes I need some soda or milk or beer or something fluid with flavor, and I can understand people drinking too much soda etc and therefore not consuming much water, but I can’t fathom hating water to the point where you won’t drink it. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738/20 "2009-06-04T21:05:50Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > I’ve never met anyone who hates water. How do you hate something that has no taste/smell and it’s only purpose is to hydrate you? I’ll definitely agree sometimes I need some soda or milk or beer or something fluid with flavor, and I can understand people drinking too much soda etc and therefore not consuming much water, but I can’t fathom hating water to the point where you won’t drink it. Agreed. I rarely drink anything but water. The idea of just hydrating myself with soda seems…wrong. Like, I guess I think of soda as a dessert type thing. Something to have after I’ve eaten as kind of a treat. I read someone talking about hating water on another message board, though. I was also mystified. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-up-with-overweight-people-and-diet-coke/498738.md?page=2)