June 2, 2016 (Toronto) – In response to the York University study, “Aspartame intake is associated with greater glucose intolerance in individuals with obesity,” the Canadian Beverage Association issued the following statement:
In the study, “Aspartame intake is associated with greater glucose intolerance in individuals with obesity” published by Kuk and Brown through York University, the authors themselves note that, “because of the multiple associations examined, there is the possibility that the observations here are due to chance” and that “the cross-sectional results observed here may be subject to reverse causation”. In other words, the trends observed may well have resulted from persons that already had an impaired glucose tolerance, rather than causing the condition.
For more information on limitations of this study, please visit sweeteners.org.
Additional information regarding the safety and efficacy of artificial sweeteners are listed below:
- Health Canada on aspartame: common allegations and the scientific facts refuting them
- Food Insight: Facts about Low-Calorie Sweeteners
- National Obesity Forum: The role of low calorie sweeteners in weight management: Evidence and practicalities
- European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on the re-evaluation of aspartame (E 951) as a food additive
- Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Use of Nutritive and Nonnutritive Sweeteners