Welcome to the CNS 2024 Thematic Conference

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

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.

We hope you can join us!