Some countries recommend artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) as substitutes for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in pregnant women with obesity or diabetes to prevent weight gain. However, emerging evidence links ASB consumption during pregnancy to an increased risk of overweight in infancy and childhood. To investigate this further, a study has analyzed data from 101,042 pregnancies to assess the impact of ASB and SSB intake on offspring.
The study found that daily consumption of one or more ASBs during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of offspring being overweight at ages 7, 11, 14, and 18 (adjusted odds ratio at 18 years: 1.26). In contrast, consuming one or more SSBs daily was linked to lower odds of being overweight at ages 11 and 18. These findings suggest that consuming ASBs during pregnancy may increase the risk of overweight in childhood and adolescence, while…
