Don’t Use Artificial Sweeteners for Weight Loss, WHO Says (1)

Artificial sweeteners may not help people lose weight, the World Health Organization said in new guidelines that warned against products like diet sodas.

The WHO’s advice is based on a scientific review that found products containing aspartame and stevia — often marketed as diet foods — likely don’t help reduce body fat in the long term.

“People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether,” Francesco Branca, WHO director for nutrition and food safety, said Monday.

Artificial sweeteners were also linked with higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as of dying, according to the ...