In response to “Artificial sweeteners produce the counterintuitive effect of inducing metabolic derangements,” an opinion piece published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, the American Beverage Association issued the following statement:

Statement:

“This is an opinion piece not a scientific study.  Low-calorie sweeteners are some of the most studied and reviewed ingredients in the food supply today.  They are safe and an effective tool in weight loss and weight management, according to decades of scientific research and regulatory agencies around the globe.”

Additional Background:

The author failed to include a number of scientific studies that support the facts that low-calorie sweeteners are safe, and can be beneficial in weight loss and weight management.

On Effectiveness of Low-Calorie Sweeteners in Weight Loss and Weight Management:

The current body of available science shows that low- and no-calorie sweeteners can help reduce calories consumed and aid in maintaining a healthy weight, a position supported by the American Diabetes Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A study published this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirms that diet beverages can be an important tool in helping reduce calories and directly counters the assertion that drinking diet beverages causes people to eat more or to want sweet foods and beverages.  A paper published in Nutrition Bulletin also showed that “using foods and drinks sweetened with aspartame … is an effective way to maintain and lose weight without losing the palatability of the diet.” In addition, a paper published in the International Journal of Obesity concluded that weight loss maintainers use a number of dietary strategies to accomplish their weight loss, including “increased consumption of artificially sweetened beverages.” Furthermore, the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is “that consumers can safely enjoy a range of nutritive and nonnutritive sweeteners when consumed within an eating plan that is guided by current federal nutrition recommendations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference Intakes, as well as individual health goals and personal preference.”

 

LOW-CALORIE SWEETENERS

According to the American Diabetes Association, “foods and drinks that use artificial sweeteners are another option that may help curb your cravings for something sweet.”

On Low-Calorie Sweetener Safety:

In 2007, an expert panel of some of the world’s leading toxicologists looked at more than 500 studies, articles and reports on aspartame’s health effects spanning the last 25 years (which also included assessments of unpublished works submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during aspartame’s regulatory approval process) and confirmed aspartame’s safety, even among its heaviest users. [Critical Reviews in Toxicology: “Aspartame: A Safety Evaluation Based on Current Use Levels, Regulations, and Toxicological and Epidemiological Studies”] The safety of low-calorie sweeteners is supported by regulatory agencies throughout the world, such as the European Food Safety Authority and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as leading health groups, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Diabetes Association. The bottom line is that consumers should have complete confidence in low-calorie sweeteners based on the findings of the vast body of available studies, conducted by some of the world’s leading toxicologists. 

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 The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the broad spectrum of companies that manufacture and distribute non-alcoholic beverages in the United States. For more information on ABA, please visit the association’s Web site at www.ameribev.org or call the ABA communications team at (202) 463-6770.

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