NEW YORK (CBS NEWS) - More kids are drinking artificially-sweetened beverages, new research suggests. The news has scientists questioning if this trend is a good thing for growing bodies.

In a study that looked at data collected from a federal nutrition survey from 2007 to 2008, it was revealed that 12.5 percent of children consumed artificially-sweetened beverages over a 24-period, double the percentage of children from data collected less than a decade before.

Increases were also seen in adult behavior as well. Twenty five percent of adults said they drank artificially-sweetened beverages, six percent higher than results from eight years prior.

The findings were based on results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) sample of over 42,000 Americans. The study was published online in September issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Sugary drinks, like soda, are often targeted as contributing to childhood obesity. About 17 percent of U.S. kids are obese, rates that have tripled since 1980.

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