While sugar-sweetened beverages are traditionally considered more damaging than diet sodas , new research suggests zero-calorie drinks could be more harmful than their sweeter counterparts.

Challenging common perception, scientists in the new study find that having even one diet soda a day can increase chances of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by 60%. Drinking a sugary beverage is slightly less damaging, as the research says it increased the risk by 50%.

NAFLD is characterised by excess fat build-up in the liver, in people who do not consume alcohol. The condition progresses through different stages, with advanced ones associated with heightened risk of liver cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

The study was presented in Berlin at the United European Gastroenterology Week,

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