Younger children should not be given any drinks containing artificial sweeteners, UK experts are now advising. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) recommendations apply to beverages such as sugar-free ‘toothkind’ squash that has ingredients such as aspartame, stevia, saccharin and sucralose. It says preschool children should become accustomed to drinking water instead.
Sweeteners may help older children cut down on sugar though. Eating too much sugar increases the risk of tooth decay and some long-term health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Artificial sweeteners were developed as a substitute, providing a sweet taste with few or no calories. All of the ones used in the UK are approved and have undergone rigorous safety tests. But some are concerned that they enhance preferences for sweet tastes in children which can be hard to overcome.
After reviewing the available evidence, SACN says proof that sweeteners are cutting tooth decay is “poor”, although a reduction in free sugars, alongside “other positive changes to diet”, is likely to be beneficial to health overall. It says there may be some value in using sweeteners to help reduce weight gain in the short to medium term, but “it is not essential and is not the only option.”
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