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The science of what we eat is failing us

Nutrition science needs a credibility revolution.

An empty supermarket aisle is pictured as French General Confederation of Labour (CGT) trade union members blocade an Auchan supermarket to protest against the newly signed pension reform at a shopping center in Paris' western suburb of La Defense business district, on April 19, 2023. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

If the typical randomised trials and observational studies of dietary and lifestyle research present so many challenges, how can we get reliable answers?

PHOTO: AFP

Anupam B. Jena and Christopher M. Worsham

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The World Health Organisation (WHO)

recently advised people to avoid using artificial sweeteners

for weight loss or to reduce their risk of health issues like heart disease and diabetes. This was based on the agency’s review of available research on artificial sweeteners to date.

Unfortunately, people cannot be confident in those findings. That is because existing studies on artificial sweeteners are plagued by methodological problems. Even the WHO knows this, given that it ultimately described its certainty in the existing evidence as “low”. Maybe it is true that artificial sweeteners don’t help with weight loss, but we really do not know for sure.

The science of what we eat is failing us

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