For people who are at risk for or have diabetes, drinks sweetened without sugar may help with overall sugar intake, according to a new study.

The researchers wanted to know, “Are low- and no-calorie sweetened beverages (LNCSBs) as the intended substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) associated with improved body weight and cardiometabolic risk factors similar to water replacement?”

To answer this question, they did a systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 randomized clinical trials and found that LNCSBs as a substitute for SSBs were associated with:

• reduced body weight,
• reduced body mass index,
• reduced percentage of body fat,
• reduced fat deposition in the liver, and
• reduced cardiometabolic risk.

The investigators said these benefits “were similar to those of water, the standard-of-care substitution.”

The findings of this study suggested that “over the moderate term, LNCSBs are a viable alternative to water as a replacement strategy in adults with overweight or obesity who are at risk for or have diabetes.”

The findings of the meta-analysis were published in JAMA Network Open. Learn more in a CNN report.

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