If you're one of the 40% of people who've been substituting sweeteners for sugar—specifically, drinking diet soda instead of regular—new brain science reveals this could be producing the exact opposite effect from what you want. A riveting recent study has identified a link between diet soda and calorie intake … and the scientific explanation is likely to make you think. Keep reading to learn about this study that focused on diet soda and weight gain , recently published in the journal of Nutrition, Obesity, and Exercise . ( Sometimes it helps to remember you don't have to sacrifice wholesome, healthy foods in the quest to get trimmer—check out the 45+ Best Cozy Casserole Recipes for Weight Loss .) The Neuropsychology of Soda Drinking Led by a group of researchers studying neuroscience, obesity, and medicine at the University of Southern California, this study engaged 74 healthy participants between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. Participants' body mass