WHO warns against using artificial sweeteners

The harmful effects of added sugars have been long established for multiple chronic diseases, which has led food companies to use artificial sweeteners in food and drinks consumed by people worldwide. However, their use has come under increased scrutiny in recent years. Representative image

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on May 15 stated the use of non-sugar or artificial sweeteners (NSS) does not result in any long-term reduction in body fat, suggesting that the use of such substances may increase the risk of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and mortality in adults.

The UN health body warned against the use of these artificial sweeteners to control body weight or reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), based on a review of the available evidence, adding that the new guidelines were aimed at improving “dietary quality and decrease the risk of NCDs”.

“NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health,” Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety, said in a release.

According to the release, the new guidelines are given for all individuals except who have pre-existing diabetes, and include all synthetic sweeteners used as alternatives to sugar in pre-packaged foods and beverages, and also added directly by the consumer.

Data by WHO suggests that high intake of non-sugar sweeteners has been linked to obesity, which affects nearly 40 percent of the global adult population and millions of children, and, in turn, diet-related NCDs that are the leading causes of death worldwide.

The recommendation, however, does not apply to personal care and hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin creams, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), the WHO added.

The harmful effects of added sugars have been long established for multiple chronic diseases, which has led food companies to use artificial sweeteners in food and drinks consumed by people worldwide. However, their use has come under increased scrutiny in recent years.