For women who drank half a liter of light soft drinks per week, the risk increased by 15 percent. And if they consumed 1.5 liters of artificially sweetened soft drinks per week, the risk even increased by 59 percent.

Aspartame increases blood sugar levels

One explanation is that aspartame - one of the most common sweeteners - leads to an increase in blood sugar levels and thus to an increase in insulin. This can lead to insulin resistance, which is the trigger for diabetes. Women who drank fruit juice did not have an increased risk in comparison.