The effect of aspartame as part of a multidisciplinary weight-control program on short- and long-term control of body weight

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition 1997-02, Vol.65 (2), p.409-418
• Main Authors: Blackburn, GL, Kanders, BS, Lavin, PT, Keller, SD, Whatley, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACTIVIDAD FISICA; ACTIVITE PHYSIQUE; Adult; Artificial sweeteners; ASPARTAME; Aspartame - administration & dosage; ASPARTAMO; BAISSE DE POIDS; Biological and medical sciences; BODY WEIGHT; COMPORTEMENT ALIMENTAIRE; DIET; DIETA; Energy Intake; EXERCISE; EXPERIMENTACION; EXPERIMENTATION; FEEDING HABITS; FEEDING PREFERENCES; Female; FEMME; Follow-Up Studies; GAIN DE POIDS; GANANCIA DE PESO; HABITOS ALIMENTARIOS; HEALTH; HUMAN NUTRITION; Humans; HUNGER; INTAKE; LONGITUDINAL STUDIES; MACRONUTRIENTS; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; MUJERES; NUTRICION HUMANA; NUTRIENTES; NUTRIENTS; NUTRITION HUMAINE; Obesity; Obesity - therapy; OVERWEIGHT; PESO; PESO CORPORAL; PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; Pilot Projects; POIDS; POIDS CORPOREL; PREFERENCE ALIMENTAIRE; PREFERENCIAS ALIMENTARIAS; PRODUCTOS DE CONFITERIA; PRODUIT DE CONFISERIE; Prospective Studies; Random Allocation; REDUCCION DEL PESO; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; SALUD; SANTE; SOBREPESO; SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE; SUGAR CONFECTIONERY; SURPOIDS; Sweetening Agents - administration & dosage; SWEETS; WEIGHT; Weight control; WEIGHT GAIN; Weight Loss - drug effects; WEIGHT REDUCTION; WOMEN
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/65.2.409

This study investigated whether the addition of the high-intensity sweetener aspartame to a multidisciplinary weight-control program would improve weight loss and long-term control of body weight. One hundred sixty-three obese women were randomly assigned to consume or to abstain from aspartame-sweetened foods and beverages during 16 wk of a 19-wk weight-reduction program (active weight loss), a 1-y maintenance program, and a 2-y follow-up period. Women in both treatment groups lost approximately 10% of initial body weight (10 kg) during active weight loss. Among women assigned to the aspartame-treatment group, aspartame intake was positively correlated with percentage weight loss during active weight loss (r = 0.32, P < 0.01). During maintenance and follow-up, participants in the aspartame group experienced a 2.6% (2.6 kg) and 4.6% (4.6 kg) regain of initial body weight after 71 and 175 wk, respectively, whereas those in the no-aspartame group gained an average of 5.4% (5.4 kg) and 9.4% (9.4 kg), respectively. The aspartame group lost significantly more weight overall (P = 0.028) and regained significantly less weight during maintenance and follow-up (P = 0.046) than did the no-aspartame group. Percentage weight losses at 71 and 175 wk were also positively correlated with exercise (r = 0.32, P < 0.001; and r = 0.34, P < 0.01, respectively) and self-reported eating control (r = 0.37, P < 0.001; and r = 0.33, P < 0.01, respectively). These data suggest that participation in a multidisciplinary weight-control program that includes aspartame may facilitate the long-term maintenance of reduced body weight.