Sugary soda is associated with no better or worse health outcomes than diet soda. In fact both are similarly bad for you.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullar...
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullar...
Almost every advancement in dietary knowledge I have see over my life has indicated more and more that excess sugar (and carbs in general) is by far the biggest problem all over the world. And it is trivial to consume excess carbs with a modern lifestyle in a developed country.