Overview

A new analysis from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) in the United States study found that people who consume more diet drinks and saccharin face a higher risk of developing diabetes. In contrast, total intake of artificial sweeteners, sucralose, and aspartame did not show a clear link to diabetes risk.

How Researchers Collected Data

Researchers presented these findings at NUTRITION 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition. The study followed 4,654 adults (about 54% women and half White) who enrolled in 1985–86 at an average age of 24.9 years. Participants reported their diets at the beginning of the study, then again at years 7 and 20. The team calculated each person’s average intake of artificial sweeteners, diet drinks, aspartame, and sucralose over time.

How They Measured Diabetes

Researchers defined diabetes based on standard medical tests:

• Fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dL or higher
•  A 2-hour glucose test result of 200 mg/dL or higher
• An A1c level of 6.5% or higher, or
• Use of blood sugar medications at follow-up visits.

They compared diabetes rates across groups who consumed different amounts of these sweeteners and drinks.

How They Analysed the Data

To make sure the results were reliable, the team adjusted their analysis for factors like age, sex, race, location, education, total energy intake, physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, diet quality, and family history of diabetes. They used a time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model to see how different intake levels affected diabetes risk over 30 years. In summary, People who drank more diet drinks or consumed more saccharin had a higher chance of developing diabetes, while other artificial sweeteners did not show a strong effect in this long-term study.

Source: Medscape