Scientists comment on a SACN statement on the WHO’s guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS).
**Dr Havovi Chichger, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, Anglia Ruskin University, said:**
“The SACN recommendations published in their position statement this morning are highly appropriate given the WHO report and research findings in the field. The committee recommends that children not be given drinks containing non-nutritive sweeteners and that adults work towards a sweetener-free diet. Although the use of non-nutritive sweeteners is an important tool to reduce sugar overconsumption, and the related negative health effects, we now understand that these sweet additives can pose various health risks on the public. It might seem contradictory, but studies have shown that all commercially-available sweeteners are associated with the development of obesity and diabetes, potentially through a metabolic disruption pathway (Bonnet 2018; McLay-Cooke 2016; Stamataki 2020). The SACN position statement also recommends that the government monitor the amount of non-nutritive sweeteners in the UK diet and encourage the food and drink industry to clearly communicate the amount of sweeteners within labelling. These recommendations are based on an in-depth review of studies in the field however these studies do not always specify which sweeteners were consumed. There are also confounding factors to be considered, for example, the studies show a link between sweetener consumption and negative health outcomes which could be due to underlying and undetected health conditions rather than the sweetener itself. As such, there is a real need for large-scale studies in the field to understand the direct causative effect of non-nutritive sweeteners on human health.”
**Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:**
“I think this is a very balanced statement. SACN have accepted that the best quality evidence available (i.e. randomised trials) show that non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) lower weight albeit modestly as compared to taking sugar rich drinks and that other types of evidence which suggest some harm from NSS are unreliable. I fully agree and would rather people take low calorie drinks with artificial sweeteners every time than sugar rich drinks both for weight and dental benefits and potentially other gains. However, SACN also correctly points out that until we have more evidence in the future on benefits and safety of NSS, it would be best to limit the intake of all such sweetened (including NSS) drinks in early childhood so that children become accustomed to drinking unsweetened drinks, preferably water. A sensible and mature summary of a complex set of data.”
**[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-statement-on-the-who-guideline-on-non-sugar-sweeteners/sacn-statement-on-the-who-guideline-on-non-sugar-sweeteners-summary#sacns-assessment](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-statement-on-the-who-guideline-on-non-sugar-sweeteners/sacn-statement-on-the-who-guideline-on-non-sugar-sweeteners-summary#sacns-assessment)**
**[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ea97b3ea9f8afd8105627d/sacn-position-statement-on-non-sugar-sweeteners.pdf](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ea97b3ea9f8afd8105627d/sacn-position-statement-on-non-sugar-sweeteners.pdf)**
**Declared interests**
**Dr Havovi Chichger**: “Prof Chichger has no conflict of interest or other in this review.”
**Prof Naveed Sattar**: “Only that I often drink diluting juice with NSS.”