['Diet and regular soft drinks have been associated with diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, and regular soft drinks with coronary heart disease.', 'To determine the association between soft drinks and combined vascular events, including stroke.', 'A population-based cohort study of stroke incidence and risk factors. PARTICANTS: Participants (N=\u20092564, 36% men, mean age 69\u2009±\u200910, 20% white, 23% black, 53% Hispanic) were from the Northern Manhattan Study.', 'We assessed diet and regular soft drink consumption using a food frequency questionnaire at baseline, and categorized: none (<1/month, N\u2009=\u20091948 diet, N\u2009=\u20091333 regular), light (1/month-6/week, N\u2009=\u2009453 diet, N\u2009=\u2009995 regular), daily (≥1/day, N\u2009=\u2009163 diet, N\u2009=\u2009338 regular). Over a mean follow-up of 10 years, we examined the association between soft drink consumption and 591 incident vascular events (stroke, myocardial infarction, vascular death) using Cox models.', 'Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, physical activity, alcohol consumption, BMI, daily calories, consumption of protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, and sodium, those who drank diet soft drinks daily (vs. none) had an increased risk of vascular events, and this persisted after controlling further for the metabolic syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, cardiac disease, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia (HR\u2009=\u20091.43, 95% CI\u2009=\u20091.06-1.94). There was no increased risk of vascular events associated with regular soft drinks or light diet soft drink consumption.'] Is diet soft drink consumption associated with an increased risk of vascular events in the Northern Manhattan Study?