As unintended consequences go, this would take some beating. Artificial sweeteners, used by millions of people as a healthier substitute for sugar, may actually cause diabetes. That is the take-home message of a study out this week (see page 8) that will leave many consumers worried and confused - an understandable response, but also a premature one. The new study does appear to ask serious questions and, if its conclusions hold up, health authorities will be duty bound to act. But we are still a long way from that. Although the research seems meticulous, the evidence comes from mice, plus a couple of small studies in humans -and different people responded differently. It only covers three sweeteners - saccharin, sucralose and aspartame - and only saccharin in detail. Many other widely used sweeteners were not included.
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