Overweight subjects who consumed fairly large amounts of sucrose (28% of energy), mostly as beverages, had increased energy intake, body weight, fat mass, and blood pressure after 10 wk. These effects were not observed in a similar group of subjects who consumed artificial sweeteners.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term effects of changes in dietary carbohydrateafat ratio and simple vs complex carbohydrates. DESIGN: Randomized controlled multicentre trial (CARMEN), in which subjects were allocated for 6 months either to a seasonal control group (no intervention) or to one of three experimental groups: a control diet group (dietary intervention typical of the average national intake); a low-fat high simple carbohydrate group; or a low-fat high complex carbohydrate group. SUBJECTS: Three hundred and ninety eight moderately obese adults. MEASUREMENTS: The change in body weight was the primary outcome; changes in body composition and blood lipids were secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Body weight loss in the low-fat high simple carbohydrate and low-fat high complex carbohydrate groups was 0.9 kg (P`0.05) and 1.8 kg (P`0.001), while the control diet and seasonal control groups gained weight (0.8 and 0.1 kg, NS). Fat mass changed by 7 1.3 kg (P`0.01), 7 1.8 kg (P`0.001) and 0.6 kg (NS) in the low-fat high simple carbohydrate, low-fat high complex carbohydrate and control diet groups, respectively. Changes in blood lipids did not differ signi®cantly between the dietary treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Our ®ndings suggest that reduction of fat intake results in a modest but signi®cant reduction in body weight and body fatness. The concomitant increase in either simple or complex carbohydrates did not indicate signi®cant differences in weight change. No adverse effects on blood lipids were observed. These ®ndings underline the importance of this dietary change and its potential impact on the public health implications of obesity.

BackgroundThe importance of exchanging sucrose for artificial sweeteners on risk factors for developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is not yet clear.ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of a diet high in sucrose versus a diet high in artificial sweeteners on fasting and postprandial metabolic profiles after 10 weeks.DesignHealthy overweight subjects were randomised to consume drinks and foods sweetened with either sucrose (∼2 g/kg body weight) (n = 12) or artificial sweeteners (n = 11) as supplements to their usual diet. Supplements were similar on the two diets and consisted of beverages (∼80 weight%) and solid foods (yoghurts, marmalade, ice cream, stewed fruits). The rest of the diet was free of choice and ad libitum. Before (week 0) and after the intervention (week 10) fasting blood samples were drawn and in week 10, postprandial blood was sampled during an 8-hour meal test (breakfast and lunch).ResultsAfter 10 weeks postprandial glucose, insulin, lactate, triglyceride, leptin, glucagon, and GLP-1 were all significantly higher in the sucrose compared with the sweetener group. After adjusting for differences in body weight changes and fasting values (week 10), postprandial glucose, lactate, insulin, GIP, and GLP-1 were significantly higher and after further adjusting for differences in energy and sucrose intake, postprandial lactate, insulin, GIP, and GLP-1 levels were still significantly higher on the sucrose-rich diet.ConclusionA sucrose-rich diet consumed for 10 weeks resulted in significant elevations of postprandial glycaemia, insulinemia, and lipidemia compared to a diet rich in artificial sweeteners in slightly overweight healthy subjects.

The changes in body weight in the 2 groups during the 10-wk intervention seem to be attributable to changes in EI rather than to changes in EE.

OBJECTIVE:To investigate 24 h energy expenditure (24 h EE) and substrate oxidations in overweight and obese subjects before and after 6 months' ad libitum intake of a low-fat, high-simple carbohydrate diet (SCHO), a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet (CCHO), or a habitual control diet (CD). SUBJECTS: Twenty-four healthy overweight and obese subjects (11 males and 13 females; body mass index 30.7 AE 0.6 kgam 2 ; age 42.2 AE1.8 y). MEASUREMENTS: Twenty-four hour EE, substrate oxidation rates and spontaneous physical activity (SPA) measured in a respiration chamber, and food intake. RESULTS: After the intervention no differences were seen in 24 h EE, postprandial thermogenesis, basal metabolic rate or SPA. Carbohydrate oxidation, adjusted for energy balance, increased on both carbohydrate-rich diets (SCHO 13.0%, CCHO 11.5%) and decreased on the CD diet (6.5%); however, the changes were not signi®cantly different between diets. The opposite pattern was seen for fat oxidation, which increased by 2.9% on the CD diet and decreased by 17.1 and 25.6% on the SCHO and CCHO, respectively. The changes only differed between the CD and CCHO diet (P 0.03). CONCLUSION: Six months' ad libitum intake of a diet rich in simple or complex carbohydrates or a habitual diet induced a shift in the oxidation pattern to closely re¯ect the diet composition in overweight and obese subjects. No differences between diets were seen in 24 h EE. International Journal of Obesity (2001) 25, 954±965