Evidence Map on the Relationship Between Dietary Sweetness Exposure and Body Weight-Related Outcomes in Adults

Abstract Objectives An evidence map was conducted to characterize published research investigating dietary sweetness and body weight. The primary aim was to identify studies that investigate total dietary sweetness and body weight-related outcomes among healthy adults; the secondary aim was to map the evidence that investigates sugar, sweetener, or sweet food/beverage intake and body weight. Methods Using pre-registered search terms (https://osf.io/my7pb), 33,609 publications (duplicates removed) from PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were screened for inclusion. Eligible studies were cross-sectional studies, longitudinal cohort studies, case control studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews conducted among adults (≥18 years) which investigated the associations between total dietary sweetness, sugar, sweetener (energetic or nonenergetic), or sweet food/beverage intake on body weight, body mass index, adiposity, and energy intake. Results A total of 824 eligible publications were identified. Two clinical trials and 5 cross-sectional studies investigated the associations between total dietary sweetness and a body weight-related outcome. An additional 630 publications were identified that investigated sugar, sweetener, or sweet food/beverage intake and body weight-related outcomes, including 225 clinical trials, 87 longitudinal cohort studies, and 298 cross-sectional studies. Ninety publications reported on dietary patterns that included sweet foods/beverages alongside other dietary components. Most studies (91%) did not measure the sweetness of the diet or individual foods consumed. Additionally, 97 systematic reviews that addressed relevant but different research questions related to sweetness exposure and body weight-related outcomes were identified. Conclusions While there is a breadth of evidence available from studies that investigate sugar, sweetener, and sweet food/beverage intake and body weight, there is limited evidence on the association between total dietary sweetness exposure and body weight. Funding Sources USDA Agricultural Research Service, Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences.