Affiliation:
1. Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
2. European Food Safety Authority, Parma, Italy
3. Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Observational investigations into the health impacts of low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) in humans fail to adequately identify or fully characterize LCS consumption.
Objectives
We aimed to utilize a novel biomarker approach to investigate exposure to 5 LCSs and to test whether reported low-calorie sweetened beverage (LCSB) consumption effectively identifies exposure to LCSs in adults.
Methods
In this cross-sectional analysis, 2 population studies were conducted in adults. Urinary excretions of 5 LCSs, namely acesulfame-K, saccharin, cyclamate, sucralose, and steviol glycosides, were simultaneously determined using LC tandem-MS. In Study 1, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 357) were analyzed. In Study 2, previously collected 24-h urine samples (n = 79) were analyzed to compare urinary excretions of LCSs with self-reported LCSB consumption for identifying LCS exposure. Exposure to LCSs was characterized using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to assess associations between age-groups and LCS excretion, and to assess the proportion of individuals identified as LCS consumers using biomarker data or reported LCSB consumption.
Results
A total of 341 adults (45% men) and 79 adults (39% men) were included in the final analysis of Studies 1 and 2, respectively. In Study 1, >96% of samples contained ≥1 LCS and almost 60% contained ≥3 LCSs. A greater proportion of younger adults (<40 y old) excreted ≥3 LCSs than older adults (>40 y old) (P < 0.001). In Study 2, a much higher prevalence of LCS consumption was observed using biomarker data (92%) than reported LCSB consumption (6%) (P < 0.001).
Conclusions
This work indicates widespread exposure to LCSs, suggesting that population-based research to date into LCS exposure and health may be flawed. Therefore, a urinary biomarker approach offers considerable potential for more robust investigations in this area.
Funder
Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment
Joint Programming Initiative A healthy diet for a healthy life
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
Nutrition and Dietetics,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Cited by
14 articles.
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