Effects of Nonnutritive Sweeteners on Body Composition Changes during Pubertal Growth

Abstract

Abstract Background/Objectives: The effects of consuming specific types of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNSs) on adiposity changes for children remained unexplored. We aim to investigate the effects of different kinds of NNSs intake on long-term adiposity changes during pubertal growth. Furthermore, we examine the above relationships among different sex, pubertal stages, and levels of obesity.Subjects/Methods: The 1893 adolescents aged 6–15 years old were recruited and were followed-up every 3 months. The NNS-FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) and urine samples were collected to investigate the sweeteners, including acesulfame potassium, aspartame, sucralose, glycyrrhizin, steviol glycosides, and sorbitol. Multivariate linear mixed-effects models were used to examine the relationship between NNS intake and body composition.Results: The consumption of aspartame, sucralose, glycyrrhizin, stevioside, and sorbitol were associated with decreased fat mass and increased fat-free mass. Particularly, aspartame and sorbitol revealed a dose-responsiveness effect. The above finding was more prominent among girls than boys. Moreover, the fat mass was significantly reduced in normal-weight children who consumed a moderate amount of aspartame, a large amount of glycyrrhizin, and sorbitol, compared with obese children. Conclusions: NNS-specific and sex-specific effects of long-term NNS consumption revealed a decreasing fat mass and increasing fat-free mass for children undergoing pubertal growth.