Effect of fructose on body weight in controlled feeding trials
Sievenpiper JL et al., (2012) Ann Intern Med 156:291-304
Objective: To review the effects of fructose on body weight in controlled feeding trials
Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Trials examining sucrose or HFCS were not included unless they were employed as a comparator to fructose
Setting: Various
Participants: Various
Main outcome measures: Body weight
Results: The review examined 31 isocaloric trials and 10 hypercaloric trials. Studies were small (<15 participants), short (<12 weeks), and deemed to be of low quality. Fructose had no overall effect on body weight in isocaloric trials (-0.14 kg(95%CI, -0.37 – 0.10 kg). High doses of fructose in hypercaloric trials (+104 to 250 g/d, +18 – 97% total daily energy intake) significantly increased body weight 0.53 kg (95% CI, 0.26 – 0.79 kg).
Conclusions: Fructose does not appear to cause weight gain when substituted for other carbohydrate in diets providing similar calories. Free fructose, with excess calories modestly increases body mass which may be due to the extra energy rather than the fructose.
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