The SWEET showdown - Low- and no-calorie sweeteners, urinary biomarkers, and associations with body weight in adults

Summary

This thesis examined the impact of low- and no-calorie
sweeteners (LNCS) on body weight in adults. Randomized controlled trials
suggest LNCS may benefit weight management, yet observational studies indicate possible risks. The studies included in this thesis aimed to understand these
conflicting results by investigating LNCS and sugar-sweetened beverages’
long-term association with weight in European populations, evaluating the
relative validity of self-reported LNCS intake using various methods including
urinary biomarkers, and exploring the relationship between individual LNCS
intake and weight changes. The findings provide important leads to improve LNCS
intake estimates, which may help to clarify inconsistencies in the current
literature on LNCS and health. This research also emphasizes the promising
application of urinary analyses of LNCS as predictive biomarkers of their
intake.