Is diet coke really bad for small children?

[AndiPandi]

Read all sorts about artificial sweeteners etc, if child really wants coke (as a treat) would it be better to give normal or coke zero?

is coke ACTUALLY addictive then? like cigarette type addictive? can someone tell me about that, im interested.

i don't like coke, its ginger beer in our house, but only on special occasions.

When I was ten I did actually try the dissolving tooth in coke over night-did bugger all and the tooth was still there in the morning!

No coke/fuzzy pop for 4 year olds regardless of aether it's diet or not imo.

www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/healthyliving/dietandhealthyeating/foodcontroversies/diet-and-cancer-acrylamide-artificial-sweeteners-green-tea-soy-tomatoes-and-vitamin-supplements
Several people I know,claim that sweeteners, specifically aspartame and saccharine cause cancer. It is interesting to read cancer research point of view on this, ie no evidence to show this at all. Also they were a point of discussion on Food Unwrapped, the food programme that Jimmy Doherty presents recently, again there was a scientist in there explaining that they are safe as far as cancer goes.
Having said that, I much prefer sugar to artificial sweeteners, but I think it's important not to be alarmist about sweeteners.

my dentist is certainly a fan of artificial sweeteners where possible I am a dental nurse & after preaching about sugar free alternatives for 15yrs, as a parent, there is NO way I would give my child sugar free drinks.

Full fat/proper sugar everything, with meals, in moderation.

You could just say no? How about squash as a treat?

But either way, the original coke also contains sweeteners, not just sugar, so not much to choose between them imo. Wouldn't dream of giving them to a child, and I'm pretty laid back about food, in the context of a diet that's balanced and healthy overall.

I was addicted to DC. I used it as a food replacement when I lost weight - as advised by ww :-/ I haven't touched it since last July and don't intend to ever touch a sip again. I felt like I had the flu coming off it, I looked up about how the sweeteners alter the brain chemicals etc. Probs rubbish but believing it keeps me away from it so no harm in it. The kids have never asked for it but I will explain why they aren't getting it if they do ask. I did drink loads of tea when I stopped the dc, so dont think it was caffeine withdrawal. I now drink water and decaff tea, sometimes very dilute squash.

Well it isn't good for anyone but won't kill your DC to have it occasionally.

FWIW all soda's are bad for you in the long run. Soda's (regular and diet versions) that contain phosphoric acid increase calcium extraction in your urine- basically takes calcium from your bones. A lifetime/years of drinking soda's is really bad news for osteoporosis risk. Also, doctors are beginning to find that lifetime drinkers of diet soda have a bigger decline in kidney function than non diet soda drinkers.
It's pretty much common sense to know that a unnatural chemical drink won't be good for you but it's interesting that doctors are now seeing the effects of drinking soda over a lifetime in over 60 year olds.

I was on the bus, it was a couple of years ago, and a woman was there with a toddler (maybe two at the most) in a pushchair. She put FULL SUGAR coke into a bottle - a bottle not a drinking mug (which would be bad enough). Then she said to her friend, 'oh he never gives me a moment's peace'.
Well he wouldn't would he, what with all that caffeine and sugar and all. Not to mention the potentially rotted teeth with sucking on that teat.
No, sugar-free wouldn't be much better either.
I'd give the dcs diluted orange juice as a treat. Did this with my dd.
Coke or any fizzy drinks not until they're much older. Like 30 or something.

A friend who is training to be a paediatric nurse told me that fizzy drinks are bad for children's physical development... can't remember the reason why but its something to do with the oxygen levels in the blood I think. However I do know they are bad for your calcium levels and have been linked to osteoporosis so for that reason alone I wouldn't give a child a fizzy drink never mind the other crap in them.