Dietary sugars and body weight: systematic review and meta‐analyses of randomised controlled trials

Abstract

The objective was to summarise the evidence on the association between intake of dietary sugars and body weight in adults and children. Electronic databases were searched for randomised controlled trials published up to December 2011 that reported an effect of total sugars, a component of total sugars or sugar‐containing foods or beverages on a measure of adiposity. Weight loss trials or trials confounded by other medical or lifestyle interventions were excluded. Weight change data were pooled using inverse variance models with random effects. 30 of 7895 RCTs identified in the electronic search met inclusion criteria. Meta‐analysis of trials in adults which involved ad libitum reduction of free sugars in the intervention arm compared with the control arm suggested a 0.80kg(95% CI: 0.39, 1.21) lower body weight in those with lower intakes of sugars. Increasing dietary sugars was associated with a comparable weight increase (0.75kg[95% CI: 0.30, 1.19]). Isoenergetic exchanges of dietary sugars with other carbohydrates showed no change in body weight (0.04kg[95% CI: −0.04, 0.13]). Trials in children showed no change in body weight. In free‐living people consuming ad libitum diets, intake of free sugars is a determinant of body weight. The change in adiposity appears to be mediated via changes in energy intakes since isoenergetic exchange of sugars with other carbohydrates is not associated with weight change.