The relationships among artificial sweetener consumption,
body weight, and energy intake were examined using a rat
model and a survey of college students. The rats were
divided into four treatment groups and one control group
(n=10 per group). Group 1 was provided with a 10% sucrose
solution; group 2, a 50% sucrose solution; group 3, a 0.05%
aspartame solution; and group 4, a 0.25% aspartame solution.
All groups were provided with rat chow and water ad libitum.
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple range
test were used to evaluate the data from the rat study.
No differences existed among the groups for weight gain or
total energy intake. Differences did exist among the groups
for solution and food intake with the two groups given sucrose
consuming the greatest amount of sweetened solution and the
least amount of food. In the survey of college students,
the human subjects' gender, perception of their weight, weight
status, dieting status, weight consciousness, weight change
over a one year period, and total caloric intake/ total energy
expenditure were examined in relation to their consumption of
diet soda and packets of table top artificial sweeteners.
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