University of Liverpool study finds diet drinks effective for weight management

A 104-week randomized controlled trial conducted by researchers at the University of Liverpool has found that non-nutritive sweetened (NNS) beverages are as effective as water for long-term weight management.

Part of the SWITCH Trial, the study followed 493 adults with overweight or obesity. Participants were divided into two groups: one consuming water and the other consuming commercially available NNS beverages containing sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose.

After two years, the results showed no statistically significant difference in weight loss between the groups. The NNS group lost an average of 10.6 lbs (4.8 kg), while the water group lost an average of 8.2 lbs (3.7 kg). Both groups experienced improvements in body composition, waist and hip circumference, and various metabolic biomarkers, including blood sugar and cholesterol levels.