Danger in diet soda: All things in moderation

No, not it's not the formaldehyde myth, or a lecture about aspartame.
 
The "danger" I speak of has to do with the correlation between diet soda and obesity.  That is, those who consume larger amounts of diet pop have been found more likely to be obese than those who consume lesser amounts--even when compared to people who drink regular, non-diet soda.
 
The reasons are multi-factored, but the basic danger lies in the misconception that it's ok to drink large amounts of diet soft drinks with no ill-effects because they have zero or very few calories.  While they may indeed be calorie-free... and perhaps even caffeine-free and low-sodium... it's still not a "healthy" alternative, folks.  Water is the best way to go.  Fruit or vegetable juice is a nice option, as is milk (all have potential for lots of nutrients and vitamins, but be mindful of calories).  Diet pop has no redeeming qualities.  We just like the way it tastes.  The sweet taste itself can be detrimental to our healthful intentions by increasing the desire to continue consuming more and more sweets (it's classic conditioning--the more sweets you regularly ingest, the more you crave in your daily diet).
 
The notion of moderating the consumption of "diet" versions of things does not just apply to soft drinks.  The argument can be made that any "light" or "low fat" or "low carb" version of any food product lulls the consumer into a false sense of security with this label. We consequently tend to overeat a product that in some cases, when over-consumed, is worse for the body than the original product (such as trans fat found in margarine).  It may also be less satisfying than the original; another reason we eat more.
 
Now, before I make it sound like I'm condemning all things "L-I-T-E": I do drink diet pop, and I do buy skim milk and low fat cream cheese.  I am not suggesting that diet foods are evil.  The key is in moderation; being aware of the tendency to over-consume these products, and evaluating on a case-by-case basis whether you want the "real thing" or a "diet" version. 
 
The following article links consumption of diet pop to metabolic syndrome and obesity.  As always, I highly recommend you do your own research and make your own decisions. I can honestly say that I have noticed, prior to reading any articles on the topic, a connection in my own life between times when I've made an effort to limit my consumption of diet soda and times when I have not, and my cravings for sweets of other kinds throughout the day. 
 
http://www.getfitslowly.com/2008/02/12/the-dangers-of-diet-soda/