Zero calories. Zero sugar. Diet soft drinks don’t equal zero health problems, according to a study released last month in Circulation, the American Heart Association’s medical journal.

The study’s results suggest that a diet soda drinker has just as much of a chance of developing metabolic syndrome as a person who commonly consumes regular soft drinks.

Metabolic syndrome includes obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and a slew of other health problems. The study lasted over four years and included more than 6,000 people of different race, health status and physical activity level.

Since diet soft drinks contain no calories, scientists expected diet soda drinkers to be healthier than regular soda drinkers. Many diet soda drinkers make the same assumption.

“I drink a lot of Diet Coke,” said Erika Femrite, junior in art and design. “If I drank regular Coke, I’d be huge.”

The results of the study have less to do with diet soda consumption than with the rest of a subject’s lifestyle, theorized Sally Barclay, clinician for the Nutrition Clinic for Employee Wellness.

Kevin Schalinske, associate professor of food science and human nutrition, speculated that many people will consume other things in place of diet soda to compensate for the zero-calorie drink.

Matthew Rector, senior in forestry, drinks diet soft drinks because of the taste, which, he said, is less syrupy than regular soda, and also for the caffeine. Rector is not worried about the calories of a diet drink as much as he is worried about the artificial sweeteners, which is another issue of diet soft drinks.

Barclay does not condemn diet soft drinks, although she herself does not consume the beverage. She does suggest drinking soft drinks in moderation and said that “water is still the best option.”

“There is nothing healthy about diet soda,” Barclay said.