Artificial sweeteners also called nonnutritive sweeteners e.g such as aspartame, sucralose and stevioside, may not aid weight loss. They are commonly found in diet drinks such as Pepsi Light and Coke Zero; they also come as stand alone in packages and used for sweetening hot and cold drinks (tea, coffee, etc). Most people who take artificial sweeteners do so in a bid to cut down sugar, which has been linked to weight gain and associated health problems such as diabetes.
Now, a report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal seems to suggest that country to popular belief, artificial sweetness can act opposite, did not appear to help people lose weight. Instead, observational studies that looked at consumption over time suggested that people who regularly consumed them—by drinking one or more artificially-sweetened beverages a day—had a higher risk for health issues like weight gain, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
The researchers analysed 37 studies on artificial sweeteners to see if they were successful for weight management. The studies followed more than 400,000 people for about 10 years. Seven of the studies were randomized controlled trials, a type considered to be the gold standard in scientific research.
“I think there’s an assumption that when there are zero calories, there is zero harm,” says study author Meghan Azad, an assistant professor in the department of pediatrics and child health at the University of Manitoba in Canada . “This research has made me appreciate that there’s more to it than calories alone.”
The Calorie Control Council, an association representing the low- and reduced-calorie food and beverage industry, took issue with the study’s design and said that “experimental studies have not confirmed these findings,” in a statement provided to TIME. “Low-calorie sweeteners are a tool to help provide sweet taste without calories to address one aspect of calorie intake,” said Robert Rankin, President of the Calorie Control Council. “Individualized strategies are critical for successful body weight management and should address not only dietary preferences, but also physical activity, and medical considerations to help each person achieve their health goals, including those related to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.”
It’s not yet clear whether artificial sweeteners actually cause harm, however. Observational studies that link the sweeteners to health problems do not prove the sweeteners themselves are responsible. Other factors can affect the outcome; people who consume more artificial sweeteners may eat more processed food, for example, which is linked to a higher risk for obesity or heart-related problems.
“More research is definitely needed,” says Azad. “You need a long-term study.”
Final Thought
The issue of weight management is not exactly straight forward. A lot of factors are into play: genetics, the amount of food (solid and liquid) intake, quality of food (in terms of nutrition makeup), the level of average weekly physical activities, medical condition, metabolic rate, age, gender, current weight are some of the factors that to be taken into consideration. Certainly ignoring these factors and just focusing on one may not lead to the desired goal. Weight gain, loss or even maintenance is a holistic process, taking into account the various factors that can lead to a deviation of the desired outcome. To that extent, the current commentator has some issues with the published research. And certainly, agree with Robert Rankin on the design of the study – it does not take into account the several factors that could affect weight management.
Having noted the above, it does not take away the valid statement that more research is needed to see if there is a link between artificial sweeteners and other health issues such as obesity and heart-related problem. Moreover, excessive consumption of any substance can be harmful, even water. That for the commentator is the key takeaway from the research.
This piece is partly curated from TIME
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