Table 3 Effects of trial beverage on the secondary endpoints at week 52 in the complete cases data set.

From: Non-nutritive sweetened beverages versus water after a 52-week weight management programme: a randomised controlled trial

Group

Baseline

Week 52

Change

95% CI for change

Waist circumference, cm

 Water (n = 135)

104.1 ± 8.8

97.1 ± 9.7

−7.0 ± 6.9**

−8.2, −5.8

 NNS beverages (n = 121)

104.8 ± 8.8

96.2 ± 9.5

−8.6 ± 7.2**

−9.9, −7.3

 Between-group difference

−0.8 ± 17.6

0.9 ± 19.2

1.6 ± 14.2

−0.1, 3.3

Hip circumference, cm

 Water (n = 135)

111.7 ± 6.4

107.3 ± 7.3

−4.4 ± 5.4**

−5.3, –3.5

 NNS beverages (n = 120)

112.4 ± 7.0

106.4 ± 7.6

−6.0 ± 5.5**

−7.0, –5.0

 Between-group difference

−0.7 ± 13.5

0.9 ± 14.9

1.6 ± 11.0*

0.2, 3.0

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

 Water (n = 111)

136.4 ± 16.4

130.2 ± 15.6

−6.2 ± 17.5**

−9.5, –2.9

 NNS beverages (n = 105)

135.1 ± 12.5

131.2 ± 14.7

−3.9 ± 14.5*

−6.7, –1.1

 Between-group difference

1.3 ± 29.1

–1.0 ± 30.3

−2.4 ± 32.0

−6.7, 1.9

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

 Water (n = 111)

83.6 ± 9.0

79.1 ± 10.1

–4.5 ± 9.8**

–6.3, –2.7

 NNS beverages (n = 105)

83.3 ± 8.8

79.5 ± 10.5

–3.8 ± 10.2**

–5.8, –1.8

 Between-group difference

0.3 ± 17.8

–0.4 ± 20.6

–0.7 ± 20.0

–3.4, 2.0

Total cholesterol, mmol/l

 Water (n = 68)

5.5 ± 1.1

5.2 ± 1.1

–0.3 ± 0.6**

–0.4, –0.2

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

5.3 ± 0.8

5.2 ± 0.9

–0.1 ± 0.6

–0.2, 0.0

 Between-group difference

0.2 ± 1.9

0.0 ± 2.0

–0.2 ± 1.3

–0.4, 0.0

HDL cholesterol, mmol/l

 Water (n = 68)

1.5 ± 0.4

1.4 ± 0.3

0.0 ± 0.2

–0.0, 0.0

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

1.5 ± 0.4

1.6 ± 0.4

0.1 ± 0.2**

0.1, 0.1

 Between-group difference

–0.1 ± 0.8

–0.2 ± 0.7

–0.1 ± 0.5**

–0.2, –0.0

LDL cholesterol, mmol/l

 Water (n = 68)

3.3 ± 0.9

3.1 ± 0.9

–0.2 ± 0.6*

–0.3, –0.1

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

3.2 ± 0.8

3.0 ± 0.8

–0.2 ± 0.6*

–0.3, –0.1

 Between-group difference

0.2 ± 1.7

0.1 ± 1.7

0.0 ± 1.1

–0.2, 0.2

Non-HDL cholesterol, mmol/l

 Water (n = 68)

4.0 ± 1.0

3.7 ± 1.0

–0.3 ± 0.6**

–0.4, –0.2

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

3.8 ± 0.8

3.5 ± 0.9

–0.3 ± 0.6*

–0.4, –0.2

 Between-group difference

0.3 ± 1.9

0.2 ± 1.9

0.0 ± 1.3

–0.2, 0.2

Triglycerides, mmol/l

 Water (n = 68)

1.5 ± 0.8

1.4 ± 0.7

–0.2 ± 0.5*

–0.3, –0.1

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

1.3 ± 0.5

1.1 ± 0.5

–0.2 ± 0.6*

–0.3, –0.1

 Between-group difference

0.2 ± 1.3

0.2 ± 1.2

0.0 ± 1.1

–0.2, 0.2

Total cholesterol:triglyceride ratio

 Water (n = 68)

4.0 ± 1.2

3.8 ± 1.1

–0.3 ± 0.7*

–0.5, –0.1

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

3.6 ± 1.0

3.3 ± 0.9

–0.4 ± 0.7**

–0.6, –0.2

 Between-group difference

0.4 ± 2.2

0.5 ± 2.0

0.1 ± 1.4

–0.1, 0.3

HbA1c, mmol/mol

 Water (n = 69)

36.3 ± 3.7

35.7 ± 3.3

–0.7 ± 2.9*

–1.4, –0.0

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

36.3 ± 3.3

36.4 ± 3.2

0.1 ± 2.3

–0.5, 0.7

 Between-group difference

0.0 ± 7.0

–0.8 ± 6.5

0.8 ± 5.2

–0.1, 1.7

Fasting plasma glucose, mmol/l

 Water (n = 67)

5.1 ± 0.5

5.0 ± 0.5

–0.1 ± 0.4

–0.2, –0.0

 NNS beverages (n = 66)

5.0 ± 0.4

5.0 ± 0.5

0.0 ± 0.4

–0.1, 0.1

 Between-group difference

0.1 ± 1.0

0.0 ± 0.9

0.0 ± 0.8

–0.1, 0.1

Fasting serum insulin (SI units), pmol/l

 Water (n = 63)

87.8 ± 78.1

76.1 ± 53.4

–11.7 ± 77.3

–30.8, 7.4

 NNS beverages (n = 65)

77.7 ± 43.6

63.6 ± 34.3

–14.1 ± 40.3*

–23.9, 4.3

 Between-group difference

10.1 ± 127.0

12.5 ± 90.0

2.4 ± 123.9

–19.1, 23.9

AST, U/L

 Water (n = 62)

22.0 ± 5.9

20.5 ± 5.4

–1.5 ± 6.1

–3.0, 0.0

 NNS beverages (n = 62)

22.2 ± 10.0

20.4 ± 5.4

–1.8 ± 9.4

–4.1, 0.5

 Between-group difference

–2.0 ± 16.5

0.1 ± 10.8

0.3 ± 15.9

–2.5, 3.1

ALT, U/L

 Water (n = 67)

25.7 ± 15.3

20.7 ± 11.8

−5.0 ± 10.8**

−7.6, –2.4

 NNS beverages (n = 62)

25.1 ± 19.8

20.3 ± 10.0

−4.9 ± 15.4*

−8.7, –1.1

 Between-group difference

0.6 ± 35.6

0.5 ± 21.8

−0.1 ± 26.8

−4.7, 4.5

GGT, U/L

 Water (n = 43)

27.3 ± 19.9

23.4 ± 15.1

−3.9 ± 12.2*

−7.5, –0.3

 NNS beverages (n = 46)

53.5 ± 148.8

41.3 ± 82.8

−10.4 ± 71.1

−30.9, 10.1

 Between-group difference

−26.2 ± 208.9

–17.9 ± 117.1

8.3 ± 100.1

−12.5, 29.1

Hunger VASa, mm

 Water (n = 133)

43.4 ± 28.0

40.8 ± 25.8

−2.7 ± 34.7

−8.6, 3.2

 NNS beverages (n = 116)

40.0 ± 28.4

40.0 ± 30.9

0.0 ± 37.1

−6.8, 6.8

 Between-group difference

3.5 ± 56.6

0.9 ± 57.5

−2.6 ± 72.2

−11.6, 6.4

Sugar consumptionb, score points

 Water (n = 125)

114.6 ± 43.1

71.4 ± 37.3

−43.2 ± 49.9**

–51.9, –34.5

 NNS beverages (n = 111)

112.0 ± 46.8

66.3 ± 36.1

−45.7 ± 42.6**

–53.6, –37.8

 Between-group difference

2.6 ± 90.3

5.1 ± 73.4

2.6 ± 92.5

–9.2, 14.4

Sweetener consumptionb, score points

 Water (n = 125)

15.7 ± 12.5

2.5 ± 6.0

–13.1 ± 12.8**

–15.3, –10.9

 NNS beverages (n = 111)

14.5 ± 11.3

15.7 ± 11.9

1.2 ± 8.5

–0.4, 2.8

 Between-group difference

1.1 ± 23.8

–13.2 ± 19.2

–14.3 ± 21.5**

–17.0, –11.6

Activity levelc, steps per day

 Water (n = 93)

8 467.3 ± 3 173.9

8 463.7 ± 3 663.3

–3.6 ± 3 706.6

–756.9, 749.7

 NNS beverages (n = 98)

8 629.0 ± 3 469.3

9 497.9 ± 4 320.6

868.9 ± 3 733.5*

129.7, 1 608.1

 Between-group difference

–161.7 ± 6 644.3

–1 034.2 ± 7 996.5

–872.5 ± 7 441.9

–1 928, 182.9

DXA subset

Fat mass, kg

 Water (n = 27)

35.4 ± 4.6

30.3 ± 7.4

–5.1 ± 6.0**

–7.4, –2.8

 NNS beverages (n = 30)

36.5 ± 5.1

30.4 ± 7.6

–6.1 ± 6.0**

–8.2, –4.0

 Between-group difference

–1.1 ± 9.6

–0.1 ± 15.1

1.0 ± 12.0

–2.1, 4.1

Fat-free mass, kg

 Water (n = 27)

52.9 ± 10.8

52.0 ± 10.9

–0.8 ± 1.7*

–1.4, –0.2

 NNS beverages (n = 30)

53.3 ± 10.9

52.3 ± 10.9

–1.0 ± 1.7*

–1.6, –0.4

 Between-group difference

–0.5 ± 21.7

–0.3 ± 21.9

0.2 ± 3.4

–0.7, 1.1

Android fat distribution, %

 Water (n = 27)

48.6 ± 4.7

43.5 ± 8.8

–5.2 ± 7.3*

–8.0, –2.4

 NNS beverages (n = 30)

49.5 ± 5.4

43.7 ± 7.7

–5.8 ± 7.2**

–8.4, –3.2

 Between-group difference

–0.9 ± 10.1

–0.2 ± 16.6

0.7 ± 14.5

–3.1, 4.5

Gynoid fat distribution, %

 Water (n = 27)

42.5 ± 9.2

38.8 ± 9.6

–3.6 ± 4.6**

–5.3, –1.9

 NNS beverages (n = 30)

42.4 ± 7.4

38.9 ± 8.0

–3.5 ± 3.9**

–4.9, –2.1

 Between-group difference

0.0 ± 16.8

–0.1 ± 17.8

–0.1 ± 8.6

–2.3, 2.1

  1. Primary analysis of the complete cases data set, which included all participants with data at baseline and week 52. Data were assessed using an ANCOVA, with the blinded trial group as a predictor and baseline value of the outcome of interest as a covariate. Data are mean ± SD; n number of participants with data available. During COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, assessments were not available for all participants (blood samples could not be taken for some participants while others failed to self-report).
  2. ANCOVA analysis of covariance, ALT alanine aminotransferase, AST aspartate aminotransferase, COVID-19 coronavirus disease 2019, DXA dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, GGT gamma-glutamyl transferase, HbA1c glycated haemoglobin, HDL high-density lipoprotein, LDL low-density lipoprotein, NNS non-nutritive sweetened, SSFFQ Sugar and Sweetener Food Frequency Questionnaire, VAS visual analogue scale.
  3. *p < 0.05.
  4. **p < 0.001.
  5. aAssessed using a 0–100 mm VAS anchored at ‘not at all hungry’ and ‘extremely hungry’.
  6. bAssessed using the SSFFQ [15]. The SSFFQ assessed the previous month consumption of sugar or sweetener in foods and drinks based on frequency and portion estimates, with higher scores indicating higher consumption.
  7. cThe number of steps per day averaged across 1 week.
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