The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) has advised that children under five should not be given drinks containing artificial sweeteners. The recommendation follows a 2023 World Health Organisation report linking long-term consumption of such sweeteners to increased risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and early death.
The SACN report, which advises the UK government, states that younger children should avoid both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened drinks. For older children, sweeteners may be a better alternative to sugar, but overall intake of both should be reduced.
Low or no-calorie sweeteners, such as stevia and aspartame, are widely used in soft drinks, desserts, and ready meals. The Food Standards Agency considers approved sweeteners safe up to the Acceptable Daily Intake, though some studies have linked them to poor health outcomes.
Dr Havovi Chichger, Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University, noted that all commercially available sweeteners have been associated with obesity and diabetes, potentially through metabolic disruption. The SACN has called for more research and for manufacturers to disclose sweetener quantities in products.
The World Health Organisation has advised against using sweeteners for weight control, and the SACN recommends minimising long-term consumption. The FSA supports the call for industry data to better assess public health impacts.
