Research Paper on "Does Artificial Sweetener Induce Weight Gain by Increasing Hunger"

Research Paper 10 pages (3765 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

001 for body weight. Diastolic and systolic BP (Blood pressure) reduced in the sweetener group by (1.2 and 3.1 mm Hg, respectively) and increased in the sucrose group (by 4.1 and 3.8 mm Hg, respectively).

Summary of the author's conclusions

The overweight participants who had huge intakes of sucrose (28% of energy), mostly as drinks, recorded increased fat mass, body weight, blood pressure and energy intake after ten weeks. These observed effects were not the same as those of similarly overweight subjects who took artificial sweetener supplements.

Discussion of the study's strengths and a clear explanation as to why these strengths increase confidence in the author's conclusions

This is perhaps the only long-term intervention research that has been compared the effects of sucrose and artificial sweeteners and concluded that the effect came from fluids. The energy derived from fluids is has been found to be less satisfying than that from solid foods (40). Therefore, fluid energy might not be completely compensated for, and this make it somewhat easier for one to over-consume energy (calories) when he or she is consuming fluids compared to when consuming solid foods (40). This conclusion is in agreement with another retrospective study in children, released recently, that revealed that consumption of beverages that are sugar-sweetened increases the risk of one becoming overweight (41). However, this current study and the children study conclusions are not similar to those released from the CARMEN intervention study, however, the difference in outcomes might be due to the difference in the quantity of sugars from fluids relative to solid foods.

Discussion of the study's weaknesses and a clear explanation as to why these weaknesses reduce confidence in the author's conclusions

Several short-term studies had supported the hypothesis that the intake of artificial sweeteners can result in increased appetite via cephalic stimulation (for example, the sight, taste and smell of food) and that sweeteners such as aspartame might have an indirect appetite stimulation effect. This long-term study did not come to such a conclusion, to the contrary, it revealed that the group that consumed artificial sweetener supplements actually had a decrease in body-weight, and that even those 70% of that decrease was attributed to loss of FFM (likely water and glycogen), 0.3 kg of fat mass was also lost. One of the reasons put forward to support this conclusion was that weight loss likely resulted by replacing high-energy sugar-sweetened foods and drinks with low-energy artificial supplements resulting in lower total energy density of the participants' diet. The reduction in energy consumption by the sweetener group was however minor and insignificant

Discussion of how this study supports one side of the controversy

In summary, predominantly female overweight participants who were provided with sucrose supplemental foods and beverages for the ten weeks ended up recording increased total energy intake, blood pressure, fat mass, and body weight. The outcome was however different in the group whose subjects were given artificial sweetener supplemented food and beverages. The most likely argument for the differences between the two groups is the use of huge amounts of beverages resulting in the subjects who had sucrose supplements over consuming energy. Thus, for overweight individuals who want to cut weight, they might want to consume only beverages that are sweetened using artificial compounds instead of those that are sucrose-sweetened (Raben, et al., 2002).

Article 3 (Support) Saccharin and aspartame, compared with sucrose, induce greater weight gain in adult Wistar rats, at similar total caloric intake levels

Objectives of the research study

The objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term changes in energy intake and weight gain through supplementing the diet of rats with either aspartame or saccharin compared to sucrose, in the presence of chow's ad libitum ingestion.

Brief description of the methods used to conduct the study, with enough detail to understand the experimental design

Utilizing the rat design, this study compares the correlation between the effect of aspartame and saccharin to sucrose in caloric intake and body weight. The study involved 29 Wistar rats. The rats were supplemented by 0.4% aspartame, 0.3% sodium saccharin, 20% sucrose, in addition to water and chow ad libitum. The physical activity of the rats was restrained. Measurements of total caloric intake, total body weight gain, caloric intake of sweetened chow and sweetened yoghurt were done after 12 weeks.

Summary of the results

Results showed that supplementation of the yoghurt with either aspartame or saccharin brought about weight gain relative to supplementation of the yoghurt using sucrose. However, total energy consumption was the same among all the rat groups. In the beginning of the experiment, the body weight of the rats was similar among all groups, however after a mixed model analysis, the groups which consumed aspartame or saccharin recorded greater weight gain compared to the group which consumed yoghurt with sucrose. An ANOVA analysis revealed that total weight gain in the group that consumed yoghurt supplemented with saccharin was 28% higher (p < 0.003), while in the aspartame group it was 20% higher (p < 0.04) compared to the sucrose group. Total caloric intake was the same for all groups in the 12-week study. Average cumulative weekly caloric intake was corrected utilizing rat weight and was also the same among all groups.

Summary of the author's conclusions

In summary, higher weight gain was recorded in the Wistar rats that had their meals supplemented with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame or saccharin, compared to those that took sucrose-supplemented yoghurt. And the weight gain was in no way associated with the caloric intake. The researchers suggested that the weight gain might have been due to a reduction in energy expenditure (due to lack of physical exercise) or increased liquid retention.

Discussion of the study's strengths and a clear explanation as to why these strengths increase confidence in the author's conclusions

The conclusions made in the research were in agreement with a study by researchers Davidson and Swithers (2008) that used Sprague-Dawley rats. Davidson and Swithers found that the rats indeed gained more weight using saccharin relative to glucose, in spite of a similar cumulative calorie intake in the 5 weeks the study was done. The outcome of this current study was also in agreement with another study conducted by Polyak (2010)et al. study, in which inbred mice with free chow had artificial sweeteners (aspartame or saccharin) added to their drinking water and the results were compared between those mice and others who had only pure water during the entire 25-week study period. The Polyak study found that the mice that were exposed to artificial sweeteners in water recorded more weight gain compared to those that were only drinking pure water, in spite of the same cumulative energy intake. All of these studies have consistently found that positive energy compensation in chow consumption occurs among the rats that were exposed to artificial sweeteners, however the increases in weight observed in these rats was not accounted for, by caloric intake since it was similar among all the three groups.

Discussion of the study's weaknesses and a clear explanation as to why these weaknesses reduce confidence in the author's conclusions

The explanations for weight-gain in aspartame and saccharin groups without increasing caloric intake are still largely speculative. For the current study, the weight gain in those groups could not be attributed to technical bias since the researchers strictly controlled the yoghurt and chow intake. A possible scientific reason could be due to the decrease in energy expenditure brought about by artificial sweeteners. Researchers Davidson and Swithers (2008) measured the core body temperature of the rats they were studying and noticed that it rose acutely a few minutes after the consumption of glucose-sweetened foods compared to non-sweetened foods, that was however not the case when saccharin was used. The researchers argued that food consumption stimulates a reflexive cephalic stage thermogenic response. Moreover, that the production of heat may be mediated by oro-sensory stimuli that may indicate presence of nutrients in the gut. However, no conclusion was made concerning the long-term effects of using saccharin.

Discussion of how this study supports one side of the controversy

This study reported a significantly higher weight gain among artificial sweetener supplemented Wistar rats compared to the rats whose diet was supplemented with sucrose. This increase was not attributed to the increase in cumulative energy intake. The difference raises the argument that the weight gain in the (aspartame or saccharin) fed rats might have been because of reductions in energy expenditure. Other studies might be required to investigate energy expenditure after exposure to artificial sweeteners and clinical trials to examines weight gain increases in human subjects (de Matos Feijo, et al., 2012).

Article 4 (Support) Fueling the Obesity Epidemic? Artificially Sweetened Beverage Use and Long-term Weight Gain

Objectives of the research study

The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the use of artificial sweeteners and long-term weight gain in San Antonio.

Brief description of the methods used to conduct the study

This was a prospective study of… READ MORE

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