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A new clinical trial found that adjusting how sweet a person’s diet is does not affect how much they enjoy sweet foods. Whether people ate more or less sweet-tasting items, their preference for sweetness stayed the same.
The study also found no meaningful differences in markers linked to heart disease or diabetes. Over six months, participants who increased or reduced their intake of sweet foods showed similar results across all health measures.
Because of these findings, researchers say public health guidance may need to be reconsidered. Current recommendations often focus on reducing sweet foods as a way to address obesity, but this approach may be missing the bigger picture.
Study Details and Key Findings
The research was conducted by Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands and Bournemouth University in the UK, and the findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
“People have a natural love of sweet taste which has led many organizations, including the World Health Organization, to offer dietary advice on reducing the amount of sweetness in our diets altogether,” said Katherine Appleton, Professor in Psychology at Bournemouth University and corresponding author for the study. “However, our results do not support this advice, which does not consider whether the sweet taste comes from sugar, low calorie sweeteners, or natural sources.” she added.
In the trial, 180 participants were divided into three groups. One group followed a diet high in sweet-tasting foods, another consumed a low-sweetness diet, and a third group had a moderate level. The sweetness in their diets came from a mix of sugar, naturally sweet foods, and low-calorie sweeteners.
Researchers checked in after one, three, and six months to see if participants’ preferences for sweet foods had shifted. They also tracked weight and collected blood and urine samples to assess changes in diabetes risk and cardiovascular health.
No Lasting Changes in Diet or Preference
By the end of the six-month period, there were no significant differences between the groups in any of the measured outcomes. Participants also tended to return on their own to their original levels of sweet food intake.
Based on these results, the researchers suggest that public health strategies focused on reducing sweet foods may need to be revised when addressing overweight and obesity.
“It’s not about eating less sweet food to reduce obesity levels,” Professor Appleton said. “The health concerns relate to sugar consumption. Some fast-food items may not taste sweet but can contain high levels of sugar. Similarly, many naturally sweet products such as fresh fruit and dairy products can have health benefits. Public advice therefore needs to concentrate on how people can reduce the amount of sugar and energy-dense foods they consume,” she concluded.