Weight loss diets and challenges have become buzzwords on social media platforms like Instagram. While most approaches focus on cutting calories or avoiding certain foods, a new study suggests that diet soft drinks may be just as effective as water in supporting weight loss as part of a structured weight-management programme.
The study, published by the University of Liverpool, found that diet soft drinks performed almost as well as water for long-term weight loss. The study was the longest and most comprehensive randomised controlled trial related to non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) soft drinks. NNS are low- or no-calorie alternatives to sugar used to sweeten drinks and foods.
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The 104-week clinical trial reveals that for long-term weight management, NNS beverages or diet beverages, specifically those containing acesulfame potassium (acesulfame‑K), aspartame, and sucralose, are equivalent to water. The research was published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
How Was The Study Conducted?
The research involved 493 adults who faced overweight or obesity issues. The participants were involved in a structured behavioural weight management programme. Through a randomised trial, they were given either water or commercially available diet beverages daily. The diet beverages contained sweeteners at levels well within established safety thresholds of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
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Those who consumed diet beverages daily lost a similar amount of weight to those drinking water. Both groups also saw improvements in body composition, waist size, and several metabolic measures. Overall, the results do not support claims that NNS beverages have long-term metabolic harm or disrupt appetite.
Professor Joanne Harrold, the Dean of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, said, “These latest findings show that concerns about sweeteners disrupting appetite or causing weight gain are not supported when tested in a rigorous, long-term randomised trial.”
Impact Of Research
The study stands in contrast to World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2023 guidance, which advised against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control. The global health agency had also warned of potential undesirable effects arising from long-term use of NSS. This included an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in adults.
The new peer-reviewed study by the University of Liverpool was funded by the American Beverage Association. The researchers had full control over the analysis and reporting of their results.
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