ATLANTA — While the authors of a rodent study recently published in Appetite claim sweet tasting foods affect weight gain, the data suggests otherwise. The Calorie Control Council took a look at the full study behind the article, “Sweet taste of saccharin induces weight gain without increasing food intake, not related to insulin-resistance in Wistar rats,” and found that the data do not support the authors’ conclusions.

Continue reading →

ATLANTA — Findings presented in a study titled “Experience with the high-intensity sweetener saccharin impairs glucose homeostasis and GLP-1 release in rats” examining a link between previous consumption of saccharin and blood sugar control is critically flawed. Continue reading →

ATLANTA –A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity reports that consumption of sugar-free beverages sweetened with low-calorie sweeteners increases dietary restraint, a key aspect of successful weight maintenance. Researchers analyzed calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat and beverage intake, as well as the dietary restraint of over 300 individuals. The researchers concluded, “Our findings…suggest that the use of artificially sweetened beverages may be an important weight control strategy among WLM [weight loss maintainers].” Continue reading →

ATLANTA – A small rat study reported in the journal Behavioral Neuroscience (“A Role for Sweet Taste: Caloric Predictive Relations in Energy Regulation by Rats”), alleging a link between low-calorie sweeteners and weight gain, needs to be considered in the proper scientific context, especially in relation to other previously published research that has reached the opposite conclusion.  Previous studies in humans have shown that low-calorie sweeteners are indeed beneficial for weight control. Continue reading →

ATLANTA – A new review of research shows low-calorie sweeteners may be one piece of the puzzle in helping solve the obesity problem.  Although not magic bullets, low-calorie sweeteners and the products that contain sugar substitutes can help people reduce their calorie intake.  The authors point out that low-calorie sweeteners are not appetite suppressants and they do not cause weight loss, but “… they have been shown to be associated with some modest weight loss….” Continue reading →

Recent Study Shows No Association Between Low-Calorie Sweeteners and a Variety of Cancers

ATLANTA – A new study conducted by Italian and French researchers and published in the Annals of Oncology indicates there is no association between low-calorie sweeteners and cancer.  The researchers evaluated a variety of studies between the years of 1991 and 2004.  These studies assessed the relationship between low-calorie sweeteners and many cancers including oral and pharynx, oesophagus, colon, rectum, larynx, breast, ovary, prostate and renal cell carcinomas.  The researchers examined the eating habits of more than 7,000 men and women in their middle ages (mainly 55 years and over).  Based on the data evaluated, the authors noted, “In conclusion, therefore, this study provides no evidence that saccharin or other sweeteners (mainly aspartame) increase the risk of cancer at several common sites in humans.” Continue reading →