Study: Sugar-free drinks may help with weight loss similarly to water
A two-year clinical trial found that sugar-free soft drinks may be as effective as water for long-term weight loss and maintenance, without signs of increased appetite or adverse metabolic effects.
Follow-up - Al-Wasat Iraqi newspaper
A clinical study lasting two years revealed that consuming sugar-free soft drinks may be effective for weight loss and long-term weight maintenance, at a degree roughly similar to drinking water, with no indications of increased appetite or negative metabolic effects.
The study was conducted at the University of Liverpool with the participation of 493 adults who were overweight or obese, as part of a structured behavioural weight-management programme. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group drank water daily, and the other drank diet soft drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners.
Results after 104 weeks showed an average weight loss of about 4.8 kilograms in the group consuming drinks sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners, compared with 3.7 kilograms in the water group; however, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant.
Individuals in both groups also recorded improvements in a number of health-related measures, including reductions in waist and hip circumference, improved body composition, and improvements in some metabolic biomarkers.
The study did not detect clinically significant differences in indicators such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels between participants who consumed drinks containing aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose and those who drank only water.
The results also did not support concerns that non-nutritive sweeteners might negatively affect appetite regulation or cause long-term metabolic harm. At the same time, sugar intake fell among participants in both groups, with a slightly larger reduction in the sugar-free drinks group.
The study was led by Jo Harrold, dean of the Department of Psychology at the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with Jason Halford, professor of biological psychology and health behaviours at the University of Leeds, who previously worked at the University of Liverpool.
The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition. The beverages used in the trial included sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose, with consumption levels remaining within the limits set by the European Food Safety Authority.
The study was funded by the American Beverage Association; the researchers said the study team worked independently of the funder and retained full control over the analysis of the data, results and reports.
