Lower Intake of Dietary Sugars Is Associated with Lower Weight

Although we generally assume that high intake of dietary sugar (e.g., sucrose, fructose) promotes obesity, the link between dietary sugar intake and body weight is unclear. In this meta-analysis of randomized trials and cohort studies, investigators assessed the association between dietary sugar intake and body weight in people who did not intend to lose weight.

In five trials (duration, 10 weeks–8 months), lower dietary sugar intake (i.e., low-sugar ad libitum diet compared with usual diet) was associated with significantly lower weight (by 0.8 kg). In 10 trials (duration, 2 weeks–6 months), higher dietary sugar intake (i.e., high-sugar ad libitum diet compared with low-sugar ad libitum diet) was associated with significantly higher weight …