Sugar-free and 'diet' drinks are often seen as the healthier option, but researchers at Imperial have argued that they do not promote a healthy weight.
Commenting on current research and policy on sweetened drinks, academics from Imperial College London and two Brazilian universities (University of Sao PauloInFederal University of Pelotas) argued that sugar-free versions of drinks may be no better for weight loss or weight gain than their full-sugar counterparts, and may also be harmful to the environment.
A common view, which may be influenced by industry marketing, is that because 'diet' drinks do not contain sugar, they must be healthier and promote weight loss if used as a replacement for all-sugar versions.
– Prof. Christopher Millett
School of Public Health
Artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) are alternatives to all-sugar drinks. They contain no sugar and are instead sweetened with artificial sweeteners. ASBs are often known as 'diet' versions of soft drinks and may be seen by consumers as the healthier option for those looking to lose weight or reduce their sugar intake. However, there is no solid evidence to support the claim that they are better for health or prevent obesity and obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
Professor Christopher Millett, Imperial's senior researcherSchool of Public Health, said: “A common perception, which may be influenced by industry marketing, is that because 'diet' drinks do not contain sugar, they must be healthier and promote weight loss if used as a replacement for all-sugar versions. But we haven't found any hard evidence to support this."
May contribute to obesity and type 2 diabetes
Sugar-sweetened drinks (SSBs), such as soft drinks, fruit-flavoured drinks and sports drinks, account for a third of sugar intake in UK teenagers and almost half of all sugar intake in the US. SSBs provide many calories but very few essential nutrients, and their consumption is a major cause of increasing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
ASBs currently make up a quarter of the global sweetened beverage market, but they are not taxed or regulated to the same extent as SSBs – perhaps because of their perceived harmlessness, the researchers say.
Despite having little or no energy content, there is concern that ASBs may induce compensatory food intake by stimulating sweet taste receptors. This, along with consumer awareness of ASB's low calorie content, can result in overconsumption of other foods, contributing to obesity, type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related health problems.
Negative impact on the environment
In the report, Professor Millett and colleagues outlined the current evidence on the health effects of consuming ASBs. Although there was no direct evidence for a role of ASBs in weight gain, they found that there was no evidence that ASBs promote weight loss or prevent weight gain compared to the full-sugar versions.
Rather than helping to solve the global obesity crisis, ASBs may be contributing to the problem and should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet.
-Research authors
In addition, ASB production has negative environmental impacts as up to 300 liters of water are required to produce a 0.5 liter plastic bottle of carbonated soft drink.
Dr. Maria Carolina Borges, first author of the study from the Federal University of Pelotas, added: “The lack of solid evidence on the health effects of ASBs and the potential influence of biases from industry-funded studies should be taken seriously when discussing whether ASBs are appropriate are alternatives to SSB." is ."
Professor Carlos Monteiro, co-author from the University of Sao Paulo, said: “Taxes and regulations on SBS and not ASBs will ultimately encourage the consumption of diet drinks instead of plain water – the desirable source of hydration for everyone.”
The authors added: "Rather than helping to solve the global obesity crisis, ASBs may contribute to the problem and should not be promoted as part of a healthy diet."
“Artificially sweetened beverages and the response to the global obesity crisis” door Maria Carolina Borges, Maria Laura Louzada, Thiago Herrick de Sa, Anthony A. Laverty, Diana C. Parra, Josefa Maria Fellegger Garzillo, Carlos Augusto Monteiro, Christopher Millett, gepubliceerd inPLOS drugJanuary 3, 2017
See the press release in this article
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Caroline Brogan
The Communications Department
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E-mail:caroline.brogan@imperial.ac.uk
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