The Not-So Sweet Paradox of Artificial Sweeteners and Obesity

Ballard CR, Batista BAM, Bertoluci MC, Foletto KC, Matos Feijo F, Neves AM, Ribeiro MFM. 10 October 2012. Saccharin and aspartame, compared with sucrose, induce greater weight gain in adult Wistar rats, at similar total caloric intake levels. Appetite. [accessed 23 April 2020] 60: 203-207. 

In this article, the researchers focused on the effects of artificial sweeteners (aspartame and saccharin) and traditional caloric sweeteners (sucrose) on the weight gain in rats. The study was conducted by collecting 29 adult Wistar rats and either feeding them yogurt sweetened with aspartame, saccharin, or sucrose. The rats were not allowed to exercise and their weight gain was measured on a weekly basis for 12 weeks. The results were although caloric intake was similar amongst all the rats in the experiment, the rats who ate yogurt with either saccharin or aspartame experienced greater weight gain as opposed to the rats who ate yogurt with sucrose. 

In addition, this source is reliable to use since the authors are affiliated with multiple universities in Brazil and their corresponding medical schools. Since the article was published in a leading journal, the credibility of the article can also be accounted for. The source is objective and contains little to no biases. The authors’ goal was to compare the effects of artificial sweeteners and sucrose on weight gain, and to see if there were any underlying mechanisms other than caloric intake that cause weight gain for those who consume artificial sweeteners. This research can be used in the literature review since it provides a novel finding on the discussion regarding obesity and artificial sweeteners: that there may be a biological mechanism responsible for weight gain in those who consume artificial sweeteners. 

 

Blackburn GL, Kanders BS, Lavin PT, Keller SD, Whatley J. 1 February 1997. The effect of aspartame as part of a multidisciplinary weight-control program on short- and long-term control of body weight. AJCN. [accessed 22 April 2020] 65 (2): 409-18.

The main focus of this original research study was to examine the effect of aspartame (a high-intensity non-nutritive sweetener), as compared to no aspartame, on participants in a weight-loss program. More specifically, the effects on the weight loss itself and maintenance of weight loss were compared between two groups of obese women: one group consuming the artificial sweetener, and the other avoiding it completely. The researchers divided the 163 women into the two groups, but instructed and exercised both groups in the same manner in order to ensure that the variable being tested was the addition of aspartame. After monitoring their weights over a 17 week period, it was revealed that both groups had lost a similar amount of weight. However, after following up with the groups when the weight-loss program ended, the aspartame group was able to retain their weight loss progress much more than the non-aspartame group. Also, those with higher intakes of aspartame in the aspartame group also reported the best outcomes (losing the most weight). 

In its totality, the research is reliable since it is published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which is a trusted and reliable source. In addition, although the education levels of the authors are not specified, they are affiliated with: Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Harvard Medical School, which are all prestigious institutions. The source is widely objective by refraining from including any personal biases, as in its scholarly article nature. The authors conducted this study for the purpose of shedding light on the effect of artificial sweeteners on body weight, as not many studies have been conducted on this subject prior to 1997 (the article’s year of publication). This research will fit into the literature review since this article closely monitors the effect of aspartame, rather than an association as other articles in the annotated bibliography discuss. Also, while this research found that artificial sweeteners were beneficial in the losing and maintenance of weight, other research studies prove otherwise which complicates the discussion as a whole. 

 

Fowler SP, Hazuda HP, Hunt KJ, Resendez RG, Stern MP, Williams K. 6 September 2012. Fueling the Obesity Epidemic? Artificially Sweetened Beverage Use and Long‐term Weight Gain. Obes. Res [accessed 22 April 2020] 16 (8). 1894-1900. 

The topic of this research study was to determine if a relationship exists between the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages and long-term weight gain, which fuels the obesity epidemic. The study utilized participants from a 7 year San Antonio Heart Study, which were split into two cohorts with cohort 1 being reported from 1979 to 1982 and cohort 2 being reported from 1984 to 1988. Both cohorts were asked questions regarding their consumption of soft drinks and more specifically, their daily consumption of artificially sweetened beverages in order to determine approximately how much artificial sweetener was ingested on a weekly basis. After 7 years of the study being completed, the patients were followed up with the researchers and it was determined that consuming more than 21 artificially sweetened beverages a week doubled the risk of obesity, and those who consumed the artificially sweetened beverages reported having greater BMIs as compared to the people who did not consume those beverages.

The study was conducted in association with the North American Association for the Study of Obesity, which makes the research reliable to use. In addition, it was published in the Obesity journal, proving its credibility. Although no specific information was provided on the authors, their affiliations give enough credit to trust the research. The source is widely objective, as the main purpose of the study was to determine if a relationship existed between the consumption of artificially sweetened beverages and obesity/weight-gain since the study was longitudinal. This article fits into the literature review since it proves that a relationship between consumption of artificial sweeteners and obesity does exist to a certain degree, which is the main premise of the topic discussed. 

 

Lavin JH, French SJ, Read NW. January 1997. The effect of sucrose- and aspartame sweetened drinks on energy intake, hunger and food choice of female, moderately restrained eaters. IJO. [accessed 23 April 2020] 21 (1): 37-42. 

The main focus of this research study was to compare the effects of sucrose or aspartame sweetened soft drinks on the energy intake, hunger, and food choices of people. The study focused itself on gathering information from 14 healthy female volunteers to determine if aspartame had any effect on hunger and energy intake as compared to sucrose. The participants engaged in a semi-blind study, in which half of the subjects knew of the drink they were consuming, and were told to come into an office (where snacks were provided) to perform work on three separate occasions. On the three separate instances, test subjects either received aspartame lemonade, sucrose lemonade, or carbonated mineral water; after each day, for two consecutive days, their energy intake, hunger, and fullness were rated on a questionnaire. After the study was completed, the results showed that consuming the aspartame sweetened lemonade resulted in greater energy intakes and greater carbohydrate intake as compared to the sucrose lemonade. 

To continue, this source is reliable since it is published by a world-renowned journal and the authors are affiliated with the Center for Human Nutrition in the UK. Hence, the research is trust-worthy despite its age. Also, the source is widely objective and there is no inclusion of personal bias anywhere in the study. The authors’ goal was to determine if aspartame, or artificial sweeteners in general, had a hand in increasing energy intake and by extension, obesity in individuals across the world. This specific article will fit into the literature review since it examines energy intake, as compared to body weight, of the participants, which adds a second component as to why there may be a relationship between obesity and artificial sweetener consumption.