Non-Nutritive Sweeteners and Metabolic Health Outcomes in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically assess and quantitatively synthesize the literature regarding the association of consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) during childhood with negative metabolic health outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN: Following the PRISMA guidelines, published literature was systematically reviewed. Eligible studies (N = 13) were identified through the screening of over 2500 publications. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on the association of NNS consumption with body mass index (BMI) increase. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses by sex were also undertaken.

RESULTS: Consumption of NNS during childhood and adolescence was associated with an increase in BMI (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.25); the OR was similar in sensitivity analyses. The associations were positive but marginally significant in subanalyses by sex. The qualitative assessment of existing literature showed nonsignificant associations with other components of metabolic disease, such as waist circumference, fat mass accumulation, and type 2 diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS: Systematic assessment of observational studies showed no association of NNS intake during childhood with fat mass accumulation and waist circumference and a small, but statistically significant association with BMI increase. Inherent methodological weaknesses of to-date published investigations, including mainly underpowered size to explore the hypothesis, call for more research.