THE EFFECT OF SUCROSE-SWEETENED AND ASPARTAME-SWEETENED DRINKS ON ENERGY-INTAKE, HUNGER AND FOOD CHOICE OF FEMALE, MODERATELY RESTRAINED EATERS

Objective: To compare the effects of aspartame-sweetened and sucrose-s weetened soft drinks on food intake and appetite ratings of female res trained eaters. Subjects: Fourteen female students, shown to have eati ng restraint. Methods: Subjects were given four drinks (330 ml) of asp artame-sweetened lemonade, sucrose-sweetened lemonade and carbonated m ineral water on three separate days. Seven of the subjects were inform ed of the drink type they were consuming on each occasion. Measurement s: Appetite ratings were recorded and energy and macronutrient intakes were measured during the study day and day after leaving the departme nt. Results: During the first study day energy intake was lower whilst drinking the sucrose-sweetened lemonade compared with the aspartame-s weetened lemonade, although neither differed significantly from energy intakes during the day they drank water. When the calories from the s ucrose-sweetened lemonade were included (1381 kJ, 330 Kcal) energy int ake did not differ between treatments. The following day energy intake was significantly higher after the aspartame-sweetened lemonade compa red with both sucrose-sweetened lemonade and the water due to an incre ase in the amount of carbohydrate consumed and resulted in a higher to tal energy intake over the two days studied. Knowledge of the drink ty pes had no effect on energy intake or macronutrient intake. Appetite r atings did not differ between drinks and were not affected by knowledg e of the drink types. Conclusion: These results suggest that in female s with eating restraint, substituting sucrose-sweetened drinks for die t drinks does not reduce total energy intake and may even result in a higher intake during the subsequent day.