06/25/2013 // Concord, CA, USA // LifeCare123 // Eva Hvingelby // (press release)
When standing in the juice aisle at your grocery store you may be wondering if you should buy the sugar-free, artificially sweetened drink for your child, or if naturally sugared drinks are healthier. This question also intrigued researchers at the National Institutes of Health who completed a comprehensive review of the research to see if there is a relationship between the artificial sweeteners found in a variety of food and drinks, and children’s weight.
THE PHYSIOLOGY
While artificial sweeteners do not add calories, an interesting effect occurs when the body reacts to their taste. Sweet receptors on the tongue respond to sugar and to artificial sweeteners in an identical manner. In other words, taste buds can’t tell the difference. Similar receptors found in the intestine are also unable to tell the difference between sugar and artificial sweeteners. This is important because when the body ingests sugar, a complex physiologic reaction occurs that affects dietary absorption, appetite and blood sugar levels. This means that even when your child eats or drinks something “sugar-free” many of the body’s reactions are the same as if sugar had been ingested.
THE RESEARCH
Broad epidemiologic data collected from over 15,000 children in the U.S. and England found that children who consumed artificial sweeteners appeared to be at greater risk for gaining weight. However, on closer examination of the data it wasn’t clear if the weight gain was actually caused by the artificial sweeteners, or other variables such as exercise and overall food consumption.
Additional research studies that controlled exercise and food intake did not find any conclusive evidence that either sugar or artificial sweetener were better choices when managing a child’s weight. And while one study found that children who consumed a sugar-free snack between meals ate less overall, another study noted that teaching children to associate sweet snacks with “low calorie” could be detrimental in the long run.
THE VERDICT
So what is the answer? Based on the existing research the jury is still out. Many studies are currently in progress and more data should be available in the near future. In the meantime the best course of action is to stick with healthy choices. Limiting both sugar and artificially sweetened foods, and encouraging children to eat whole fruits and vegetables will have the best effect on a developing metabolism. Don’t forget the importance of exercise! Children should have at least 60 minutes a day through active play, sports or other activity. Balancing healthy foods with exercise and limiting both sugar and artificial sweeteners will provide the ideal conditions for healthy weight management.
Brown, R., De Banate, M. & Rother, K. (2010) Artificial sweeteners: a systematic review of metabolic effects in youth. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity. 5(4), 305–312
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