Advances in Research & Practice - Non-nutritive sweeteners & health: Unravelling the evidence & controversy

The Canadian Nutrition Society is excited to announce the opening of registration for our upcoming Thematic Conference, "Advances in Research & Practice - Non-nutritive sweeteners & health: Unravelling the evidence & controversy", taking place on January 27, 2024. This one-day conference will be held at a conveniently located venue in downtown Toronto, offering both in-person attendance and a live-streaming option for individuals and groups. 

This year's theme is both timely and relevant, as non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are increasingly prevalent in food and beverages, while their health effects are still controversial and debated. This conference will feature distinguished expert speakers, presenting the latest evidence and insights on NNS and health, covering areas like metabolism, dietary guidance, microbiome, chronic diseases, and public health implications.

The conference program is now live, and registration is open! 

Conference co-chairs:

• John Sievenpiper, MD, FRCPC, PhD - University of Toronto
• Vasanti Malik, PhD - University of Toronto

As dietary guidance and public health measures continue to call for reductions in intake of free sugars to prevent weight gain and cardiometabolic risk, there is growing interest in sugar alternatives or non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) that can sweeten foods and beverages without providing excess calories. However, inconsistent findings in observational studies and clinical trials have obscured dietary guidance regarding NNS, creating confusion among the scientific community and general public. A comprehensive understanding of the evidence on NNS and health is needed to guide practitioners and policy makers in helping the population achieve free sugar targets for optimal health.   

This one-day thematic conference will address the role of NNS as a replacement for sugars, summarize the evidence on NNS and health outcomes and reconcile the discrepancies.  

Conference learning objectives:

By the end of this conference, attendees will be able to:

1. Identify and appreciate different policy strategies for total/free sugar reduction in Canada and globally.
2. Know what non-nutritive sweeteners  (NNS) are, whether they are safe to use and public perceptions surrounding their use and safety.
3. Reconcile inconsistencies in the evidence on NNS and health from clinical trials and observational studies that form the basis of NNS guidelines 
4. Understand putative biological mechanisms linking NNS to health outcomes and metabolic effects of different types of NNS.