Use of non-sugar sweeteners: WHO guideline

Overview

This guideline provides evidence-informed guidance on the use of non-sugar sweeteners to reduce the risk of  unhealthy weight gain and diet-related noncommunicable diseases in adults and children. The guidance in this guideline is not based on toxicological assessments of the safety of individual non-sugar sweeteners and is therefore not intended to update or replace guidance on safe or maximal levels of intake established by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) or other authoritative bodies. 

This guideline is intended for a wide audience involved in the development, design and implementation of policies and programmes in nutrition and public health. This guideline includes a recommendation on the use of non-sugar sweeteners which can be used by policy-makers and programme managers to address non-sugar sweetener use in their populations through a range of policy actions and public health interventions.

The guidance in this guideline should be considered in the context of that from other WHO guidelines on healthy diets.