Experts Agree Low Calorie Sweeteners Can Be a Helpful Tool in Weight Management

In the context of the 34th International Symposium on Diabetes and Nutrition, held in Prague between June 29 and July 1, four renowned experts in their fields were invited by the organizers to participate in an enlightening session and panel discussion around low calorie sweeteners and their role in obesity and diabetes epidemics.

 

The world renowned scientists agree that “there is high quality research in humans that consistently affirms the useful role of low calorie sweeteners in short- and long-term weight control and management.”

 

The Symposium, which was organized by the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group (DNSG) of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), brought together scientists, nutrition and diabetes experts and healthcare professionals from around the world to discuss and debate emerging science developments on the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

 

In the session entitled “Sweet Living: Can non–caloric sweeteners help in the fight against obesity and diabetes?”, Professor Fred Brouns, Dr. France Bellisle, Professor Peter Rogers, and Dr. James O. Hill, presented the results of their recent respective research, and the most up-to-date data from the scientific literature on the role of low calorie sweeteners in weight management.

 

During the panel discussion, the speakers concluded that the latest high quality human studies and systematic reviews published in 2016 add further value to an already existing wealth of data that have repeatedly demonstrated that low calorie sweeteners and foods and drinks containing them can help people reduce sugar and energy intake, when used as part of a weight control dietary program and in place of sugars.

 

More specifically, the panel speakers stressed out that “Based on the strong body of evidence of human studies, we can be confident that low calorie sweeteners can be an effective tool in weight management. When used as part of a weight control program, low calorie sweetened foods and drinks can help people reduce overall caloric intake while keeping the preferred sweet taste of their favorable foods and drinks.”

 

In contrast to what is often believed, sound scientific studies do not show that the use of low calorie sweeteners leads to eating more sugar-containing foods or drinks. Individuals who start using low calorie sweetened drinks appear to make healthier choices in their diets, in favor of an improved overall diet quality. By providing sweet taste without the calories, low calorie sweetened options can make a useful contribution in empowering people to make smart choices without compromising on the pleasant taste of sweetness and help them achieve a balanced diet and lifestyle.

 

Sources:
1 Rogers PJ. et al. Does low-energy sweetener consumption affect energy intake and body weight? A systematic review, including meta-analyses, of the evidence from human and animal studies. Int J Obes (Lond). 2016 Mar;40(3):381-94. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2015.177. Epub 2015 Sep 14
2 Peters JC, Beck J, Cardel M, Wyatt H, Foster G, Pan Z, Wojtanowski A, Vander Veur S, Herring S, Brill C, Hill J, The Effects of Water and Non-Nutritive Sweetened Beverages on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2016 Feb;24(2):297-304. doi: 10.1002/oby.21327. Epub 2015 Dec 26.
3 Bellisle F. Intense Sweeteners, Appetite for the Sweet Taste, and Relationship to Weight Management. Curr Obes Rep. 2015;4(1):106-10. doi: 10.1007/s13679-014-0133-8