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Diet drinks with sugar substitutes as effective as water for weight loss
Fox News • • health
Key Points:
- A two-year randomized trial by the University of Liverpool found that diet drinks with sugar substitutes were as effective as water in supporting weight loss among overweight or obese adults.
- The study involved 493 participants with BMIs between 27 and 35, who either consumed 22.3 ounces of water or diet beverages daily, resulting in average weight losses of 8.2 pounds and 10.6 pounds respectively.
- Both groups maintained significant weight loss and reductions in waist and hip measurements over two years, with no meaningful differences in body fat or cholesterol levels.
- Experts noted that the weight loss was due to a structured weight-management program, and diet drinks mainly help by substituting higher-calorie sugary beverages rather than having a unique metabolic effect.
- Limitations include the study's single location, lack of racial and ethnic data, and voluntary continuation in the second year, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.
