Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

WHO warns against long-term health risks of artificial sweeteners

WHO warns against long-term health risks of artificial sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners won’t help with weight loss and may raise the risk of diabetes, heart disease and death, says the World Health Organization (WHO).

Sugar substitutes such as stevia, aspartame and sucralose do not help people lose weight in the long run and may instead pose health risks, the World Health Organization has warned.

A systematic review of the available evidence "suggests that use of NSS [non-sugar sweeteners] does not confer any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children,” the WHO said in a statement.

“Results of the review also suggest that there may be potential undesirable effects from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults,” it added.

Francesco Branca, WHO director for nutrition and food safety, said replacing sugars with artificial sweeteners "does not help with weight control in the long term,” and instead, “people need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intakes, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages”.

Artificial sweeteners are “not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value,” Branca emphasised.

“People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health”.

Last year, a large study in France flagged a possible link between artificial sweeteners and an increased risk of cancer. And national health organisations such as Canada’s have long warned that zero-calorie or low-calorie sugar substitutes are neither necessary nor helpful.


Aspartame, stevia, sucralose all targeted


“Sugar substitutes do not need to be consumed to reduce the intake of free sugars,” the guidelines say, adding that, because “there are no well-established health benefits associated with the intake of sweeteners, nutritious foods and beverages that are unsweetened should be promoted instead”.

The WHO discourages the consumption of “all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars found in manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to be added to foods and beverages by consumers”.

That includes acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives.

The recommendations do not apply to personal care and hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols). These sugars or sugar derivatives do contain calories - they are therefore not considered sugar substitutes - and are commonly present in various food products such as sugar-free chewing gum and sugar-free candy.


New guidance sparks criticism


WHO’s new guidance applies to all people except those with pre-existing diabetes.

However, WHO emphasised it had been assessed “as conditional” due to the diversity of participants in the studies that formed the basis for its conclusions, as well as the very complex consumption habits of sugar-free sweeteners.

Some nutrition experts have quickly jumped in to point these out, saying the new guidelines were largely based on observational studies that do not establish a direct link between sweeteners and weight control.

First of all, it is important to understand the WHO’s advice “is to governments and policymakers, not to individuals,” said Tom Sanders, a professor emeritus of nutrition and dietetics at King's College London.

However, because of the way they have been presented, people are taking these recommendations as direct advice, he told Euronews Next, adding he expects them to create “a lot of confusion amongst consumers”.

“On one hand, they are being told by government, ‘avoid sugar-sweetened beverages,’ and on the other, ’well, actually you shouldn't be drinking artificial sweeteners’”.

The WHO’s review “does not really show any definite adverse effects, and they do sort of miss out on quite an important one, which is dental caries in children,” Sanders added, noting there is “clear evidence” that replacing sugar sweeteners does help with dental care.

Sanders criticised the guidance for not taking into account “the real-world situation,” particularly in the field of dietetics.

“Sometimes what you're trying to do is get people to control their weight, which is to reduce their calorie intake, and it can help if people are drinking a full sugary drink to switch to a reduced-calorie drink or zero-calorie drink,” he explained.

Indeed, artificial sweeteners have no nutritional value, but a lot of other things in our diet, like tea or coffee, also don’t, he said, “but, you know, people drink them rather than just drink water because they like the taste of it”.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×