Artificially sweetened beverages may benefit healthy weight, but water works better
Replacing sugary drinks (SSBs) with artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs)—or ideally water—may help people lose weight, according to a new study by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In addition, they found that drinking more ASBs or water may help people gain less weight over time, compared to people who drink more SSBs.
The study, published March 6 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, analyzed health and dietary data from 143,000 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study collected over a median of 28 years.
Researchers Alan Espinosa, Josiemer Mattei, and colleagues found that increasing ASB intake was associated with less weight gain over time, particularly among people with overweight or obesity or those who were consuming high amounts of SSBs at the start of the study. People who increased the amount of water they drank were also less likely to experience unhealthy long-term weight gain, while people who increased their SSB consumption were more likely to gain weight over time. Replacing SSBs with ASBs was associated with weight loss; however, the researchers found that water was the best substitute for both SSBs and ASBs.
Read the study: Artificially sweetened beverages and weight change: findings from 3 prospective cohort studies of United States adults
Read Healthline coverage: Artificially-Sweetened Drinks Help Promote Weight Loss, but Water Is Best
