ATLANTA (August 30, 2008) — Findings presented in “Association between intake of artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages and preterm delivery: a large prospective cohort study” are weak and misleading.
The Calorie Control Council cites the following as serious limitations of the study:
The use of low-calorie sweeteners in pregnancy has been well studied both in humans and in animals. Before approving the currently available low-calorie sweeteners, regulatory bodies world-wide determined that the low-calorie sweeteners are safe for all populations, including special groups such as the elderly, children, and pregnant and nursing women. Further, leading health groups such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Diabetes Association support the safe use of low-calorie sweeteners during pregnancy.
Importantly, in 2011 both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) confirmed that low calorie sweeteners are safe for pregnant women. Additionally, in 2011, EFSA concluded that there was no available evidence to show that consumption of artificially sweetened soft drinks led to preterm delivery.