Fewer calories, same heart problems

(AP Photo/Diane Bondareff)
Diet soda could be hurting your diet, a new study suggests.

A large but inconclusive study found that people who drank more than one soda per day -- diet or regular -- had an increased risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms like high cholesterol that increase the risk for heart disease.

The AP's Jay Lindsay reports that the soda itself may not be the problem. No-calorie sweet drinks could increase cravings for more sweets. Or diet drinks could be a tonic for people with otherwise unhealthy habits. See his full report here.

--Lisa Tolin