**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha, dated February 6, 2026, concerning the health effects of artificial sweeteners. The answer references guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May 2023 advising against the use of non-sugar sweeteners for weight control and to prevent lifestyle diseases.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **WHO Guidelines:**
* WHO issued a guideline in May 2023 advising against the use of non-sugar (artificial) sweeteners for weight control or preventing lifestyle diseases.
* WHO recommends reducing overall dietary sweetness rather than substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners.
* **Health Risks:**
* Evidence suggests that higher consumption of non-sugar sweeteners is associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes.
* These risks include a 23% higher risk of type 2 diabetes, a 32% higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, and an approximately 13% increased risk of conditions like hypertension and certain cancers (including bladder cancer), particularly with long-term exposure.
* These findings are based on observational evidence, and WHO advises cautious interpretation.
* **Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI):**
* FSSAI has established standards for artificial sweeteners in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.
* Standards and limits for non-caloric sweeteners are based on risk assessment and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) established by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).
* The limits are in harmonization with Codex Alimentarius Commission.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: General Public**
* **Impact:** They need to be aware of the potential health risks associated with high consumption of artificial sweeteners, particularly for weight control and prevention of lifestyle diseases.
* **Action Required:** Reconsider the use of artificial sweeteners, with an emphasis on reducing overall dietary sweetness.
**Stakeholder: Food Industry**
* **Impact:** They may need to reformulate food products to reduce or eliminate artificial sweeteners, adhering to FSSAI standards.
* **Action Required:** Comply with FSSAI standards and accurately label products regarding artificial sweetener content.
**Stakeholder: Healthcare Professionals**
* **Impact:** They need to be informed about the WHO guidelines and evidence regarding the health effects of artificial sweeteners to advise patients appropriately.
* **Action Required:** Provide guidance to patients on managing weight and preventing lifestyle diseases, considering the potential risks of artificial sweeteners.
**Stakeholder: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)**
* **Impact:** They must enforce standards for artificial sweeteners.
* **Action Required:** FSSAI should review and update the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011, to align with the latest scientific evidence and international standards and ensure they are enforced.
Key Entities Referenced
World Health Organization (WHO): International body that issued a guideline advising against the use of non-sugar sweeteners for weight control or for preventing lifestyle diseases.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI): Indian authority that has laid down the standards for various artificial sweeteners in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011.
Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011: Regulation in India that contains standards for various artificial sweeteners.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: The Indian ministry to whom the parliamentary question was addressed, and is responsible for health policy in India.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO.1272
TO BE ANSWERED ON6THFEBRUARY, 2026
ARTIFICIALSWEETENERS AND HEALTH EFFECTS
1272. SHRI BALASHOWRYVALLABHANENI:
Will the Ministerof HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleasedtostate:
(a)whether it istrue that the WorldHealthOrganization (WHO)recommended against using
artificialsweeteners tocontrol weight andpreventlifestyle diseases such asdiabetes andif so,
the detailsthereof;
(b) whether it isalso true that highintake of artificialsweeteners hasbeenreported to
increase the risk of type-2diabetes by23percentandcardiovasculardiseases by32 percent
andhypertension, bladdercancer, etc.by13percentandif so,the detailsthereof; and
(c)whether the consumption of artificial sweeteners, includingthose used indietandzero-
calorie soft drinks, isassociated with anyadverse healthconsequencesandif so, the details
thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) to (c): Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that the World Health
Organization (WHO), in May 2023, issued a guideline advising against the use of non-sugar
(artificial) sweeteners for weight control or for preventing lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases. WHO has recommended reducing overall dietary sweetness rather than
substituting sugar with artificial sweeteners.
Evidence from large systematic reviews and meta-analyses, including those evaluated by
the WHO, indicates that higher consumption of non-sugar (artificial) sweeteners has beenassociated with anincreased risk of adverse healthoutcomes. These reviews report a 23% higher
risk of type 2 diabetes, a 32% higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, and an increased risk
(around
13%) of conditions such as hypertension and certain cancers, including bladder cancer,
particularly
with long-term exposure. However, these findings are largely based on observational evidence,
and WHO has noted the need for cautious interpretation while considering the totality of
evidenceindietary guidance.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has laid down the standards for
various artificial sweeteners in the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and
Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. These standards for non-caloric sweeteners and limits for use
of such non-caloric sweeteners in various food products have been laid down onthe basis of risk
assessment and Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) established by Joint Food & Agriculture
Organization (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives
(JECFA)andthe limitsare inharmonizationwith Codex Alimentarius Commission.
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