Differences between diet, regular drinks negligible says to new WHO report

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — When consuming artificial sweeteners for the purpose of losing weight you may want to think twice, at least according to the World Health Organization.

A new report released by the World Health Organization says when you are trying to lose weight you are advised to not use sugar-free products to do so.

The report takes into consideration many situations and sample groups, but the message remains clear that when choosing between a diet or regular Coke, the differences aren’t all that severe.

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Diane Stadler, professor of nutrition at Oregon Health and Science University, said the goal of the report is to advise people in positions of decision or policy-making, such as a nutrition lead at a hospital or a school.

She said the report found two major things, first, non-sugar sweeteners are being found in many processed food products, even ones you may not assume, and second, when you are substituting sugar for a non-nutritive sugar you are not contributing to your overall health.

“If it’s a packaged product, these non-nutritive sweeteners are starting to appear all over our food options,” said Stadler. “The number of highly processed foods that have these non-nutritive sweeteners in them are not necessarily foods to include in your diet to improve the quality of your diet.”

Furthermore, these sweeteners are not shown to benefit someone’s long-term weight loss journey, but Stadler also said these artificial sweeteners are not proven to increase any health risks when consumed regularly.

Visit the WHO website to read the full report.

Watch the full interview below:

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