‘Everything in moderation’ say nutritionists about aspartame sweetener

Dieticians and nutritionists in Cyprus advised the public to consume ‘everything in moderation’ after the World Health Organisation’s cancer research body was reported to declare aspartame sweetener as a possible carcinogen next month.

The association of dieticians and nutritionists said it will present its final position after WHO’s announcement on the popular sweetener.

Until then, it said, “the wise saying of all things in moderation should be followed in this case as well.”

Aspartame will be listed in July as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), WHO’s cancer research arm, media reported.

The IARC ruling, finalised earlier this month after a meeting of the group’s external experts, is intended to assess whether something is a potential hazard or not, based on all the published evidence.

It does not take into account how much of a product a person can safely consume. This advice for individuals comes from a separate WHO expert committee on food additives, known as JECFA (the Joint WHO and Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Expert Committee on Food Additives), alongside determinations from national regulators.

JECFA is reviewing the use of aspartame this year. Its meeting started at the end of June and it is expected to release its findings on the same day that IARC will make its decision public on 14 July.

Since 1981, JECFA has said aspartame is safe to consume within accepted daily limits. For example, an adult weighing 60 kg would have to drink between 12 and 36 cans of diet soda every day to be at risk.

The “probability of cancer” does not necessarily mean that a person will develop cancer, the Cyprus Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists pointed out on Friday.

“It indicates an increased likelihood, but many factors can influence a person’s actual risk, including personal health history, general lifestyle and other special circumstances,”

When a study mentions “likelihood of cancer” it usually refers to the likelihood or probability of developing cancer based on the findings of that particular study. It may look at various risk factors, such as genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, lifestyle choices or other variables, and determines the association between these factors and cancer incidence, the association explained.

It added that the results of a single study should be considered in the context of other research and medical advice, as scientific findings often require replication and confirmation by additional studies.