Sugar substitutes aid weight loss without raising heart disease, diabetes risk

ISLAMABAD, March 25 (Online): New research suggests replacing sugar with low or no-calorie sweeteners could aid weight management after rapid weight loss without increasing the risk of diabetes or heart disease.
The 1-year trial found that adults who used sweeteners had greater diet satisfaction, improved mood, and reduced cravings for sweet foods.

Despite the promising results, the findings conflict with other studies about the health effects of sugar substitutes, and more research is needed.A new study suggests swapping sugar-sweetened foods and beverages with low or no-calorie sweeteners could aid weight management following rapid weight loss in adults without increasing the risk of or cardiovascular disease.

The research, which is being presented at the annual European Congress on Obesity (ECO) May 14–16, 2024, in Venice, Italy, indicates that weight management continued for at least one year.

The study, aptly named the SWEET project, also found that consuming sweeteners and sweetness enhancers (S&SE) correlated with heightened diet satisfaction, improved mood, reduced cravings, and decreased explicit preference for sweet foods among adults.

Clarissa Dakin, co-lead author of the SWEET project and PhD student in the Appetite Control and Energy Balance Research Group at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom, explained the key findings to Medical News Today:

“This study was a large randomized controlled trial comparing how including or avoiding sweeteners and sugar substitutes as part of a low-sugar weight maintenance diet affects people’s mood, food craving, and satisfaction with their diet.”