No Long-Term Weight Loss Effect
Increased Risk of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) are not effective for long-term weight control and may actually increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
On the 15th (local time), WHO released the "Guideline on the Use of Non-Sugar Sweeteners," recommending against the use of NSS for the purpose of controlling weight or preventing non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. It stated that these sugar substitutes provide no health benefits to the general population, except for those already diagnosed with diabetes.
WHO stated, "This recommendation applies to everyone except people with diabetes and includes all sweeteners, whether synthetic or naturally derived, added to foods and beverages."
NSS include aspartame, advantame, cyclamate, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia, and acesulfame K.
WHO said that NSS are also ineffective in reducing body fat in adults and children over the long term. Furthermore, long-term consumption of NSS may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and in adults, it may raise the risk of mortality.
WHO explained that these conclusions are based on a systematic review of supporting research. Large-scale studies have found that NSS cause changes in the function and composition of the gut microbiota, which consists of bacteria, viruses, and fungi residing in the intestines.
Francesco Branca, WHO Director of Nutrition and Food Safety, explained, "Other approaches should be considered, such as consuming foods naturally containing sugars like fruits or unsweetened foods and beverages." This means it is advisable to reduce the intake of both artificial sweeteners and sugar.
However, WHO added that this recommendation is provisional. WHO explained the reason for setting this guideline as a "conditional recommendation," stating, "Various factors, including differences in the health status of study participants during the research process, may have influenced some results." WHO also emphasized that for countries to reflect this recommendation in their policies, they should consider national contexts such as age groups and consumption levels.
Meanwhile, Nita Forouhi, a professor of medicine at the University of Cambridge in the UK, told foreign media, "There is evidence that NSS can reduce calories in the short term," and explained, "Using sweeteners can help with weight control in the short term."
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