Low & No Calorie Sweeteners: What Does the Science Really Say

Recorded September, 10, 2024

Description:

Government agencies and public health advocates around the world recommend reducing added sugar intake for most populations. Low- and No-Calorie Sweeteners (LNCS) — also referred to as non-sugar sweeteners or non-nutritive sweeteners — are common tools for reducing sugar intake while maintaining palatability. However, their use for body weight management remains controversial. This is due, in part, to conflicting conclusions drawn from systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in recent years on LNCS

While these publications aim to systematically and objectively compile evidence to address the question “What is the effect of LNCS consumption on body weight?,” they alternately conclude that LNCS have beneficial, neutral, or detrimental effects on body weight, depending on the study. Therefore, developing dietary recommendations for LNCS and body weight management is challenging, given the underlying studies don’t come to consistent conclusions.

This webinar presents research conducted at the USDA Agricultural Research Service-Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, describing how systematic review methodologies influence the findings produced when investigating the association between LNCS consumption and body weight.

Speaker: Kelly Higgins, PhD, Exponent (formerly USDA-ARS Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center)