They give a little sweet taste to foods, while reducing their added sugar content. Sweeteners are consumed daily by millions of people. But are they so good for your health? No, according to a study carried out by researchers from Inserm, Inrae, Cnam and Paris-Sorbonne University. According to their work, these food additives are associated with an increased risk of cancers, in particular breast cancer and cancers linked to obesity.
The researchers analyzed the health data and the consumption of sweeteners of 102,865 French men and women, participating in the vast NutriNet-Santé study. The volunteers filled in their medical history, their physical activity, their state of health and their lifestyle. They also entered the names and brands of the products consumed. What to measure their exposure to food additives and in particular to sweeteners.
The follow-up started in 2009 lasted until 2021. The researchers recorded the diagnoses of cancers reported during this period. And they did a statistical analysis to study the possible link between the consumption of sweeteners and the risk of developing cancer.
Scientists found that, compared to people who did not consume them, the highest consumers of sweeteners, i.e. those above the median consumption, had a 13% higher risk of develop cancer of any type, especially with aspartame and acesulfame K.
To date, sweetener intake through food “come to 53% from sweetened drinks, 29% from sweets or table sweeteners, 8% from dairy products or dairy desserts, sometimes even salty foods such as crisps”explains Mathilde Touvier, research director in nutritional epidemiology at Inserm.
“The study quantifies for the first time in the world the exposure to sweeteners in aggregate on the whole diet and by type of component to relate it to the risk of diseaseemphasizes Mathilde Touvier, who coordinated the study. So far, studies have been experimental, mostly on animal models or cells.”
Although it is not yet possible to establish a direct causal relationship, “these results do not support the use of sweeteners as safe alternatives to sugar”, warns the researcher. These results, believes Mathilde Touvier, could be used to “the ongoing reassessment by the European Food Safety Authority and other public health agencies around the world”.