A considerable number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), the gold standard in nutrition research, have repeatedly shown that the consumption of low calorie sweeteners and/ or foods and drinks containing them do not cause weight gain. On the contrary, they suggest that low calorie sweeteners use reduce energy intake and can help in short- and long-term weight loss and weight maintenance, when used as part of a healthy lifestyle and/ or a calorie reduced diet. A recent review by Bellisle (2015) concluded that “recent intervention studies in children and adults confirm that low calorie sweeteners use tends to reduce rather than increase the intake of sugar-containing foods, and to facilitate rather than impair weight loss. »

In 2016, a systematic review and meta-analyses concluded that in randomised control trials, both short-term (less than 24 hrs) and longer term (greater than 24 hours) intervention studies showed that low calorie sweeteners, when used in place of sugars, consistently reduced energy intake. There were no intervention studies that reported weight gain with low calorie sweeteners use (Rogers et al, 2016).

Another systematic review and meta-analysis published by Miller and Perez in 2014 included existing studies looking at the impact of low calorie sweeteners on body weight and found that replacing sugar with low calorie sweeteners helped people to maintain a healthy weight.

Further, in the beginning of 2016, a well conducted clinical study with more than 300 participants assessed the effects of water versus low calorie sweetened beverages on weight loss and weight maintenance in a year-long programme. The group that drank diet beverages experienced superior weight loss and weight maintenance compared to those who drank only water over the same time period. Their results show that water is not superior to beverages sweetened with low calorie sweeteners and can be an effective tool for weight loss and maintenance within a weight management programme. (Peters et al 2014; Peters et al, 2016)