Artificial sweeteners linked to increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, again!
Artificial sweetener consumption has once again been linked to an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
The research is separate from a previous study reported by Australian Food News in 2013 which connected sweeteners to an increased risk in developing Type 2 diabetes.
In the latest study, which is published online by the Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism Journal, UK researchers found a sweetener called ‘aspartame’ had particularly negative health consequences.
“Our study shows that individuals with obesity who consume artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame, may have worse glucose management than those who don’t take sugar substitutes,” said researcher Professor Jennifer Kuk.
The researchers used the results from a survey of 2, 856 US adults to come up with their findings.
Another study previously reported by AFN
In September 2013, Australian Food News reported a study by Israeli scientists that associated various artificial sweeteners with an increased risked of Type 2 diabetes.
Similar to the new study, the Israeli scientists also discovered gut bacteria may be the culprit.
In a separate Australian Food News article published in July 2013, scientists also linked artificial sweetener consumption to increased risk of high blood pressure as part of a wider study into obesity.
Meanwhile, Stevia continues to expand internationally
The news on artificial sweeteners may be sinking in with Innova Market Insights this month revealing just under 4 per cent of all global soft drink launches in the past year contained stevia, a sweetener which is often marketed as ‘natural’.
In the US, Stevia was in 8 per cent of all new soft drink products and in 13 per cent of global flavoured water products globally.
