A Trial of Sugar-free or Sugar-Sweetened
Beverages and Body Weight in Children
The New England Journal of Medicine
Volume 35, Pages 1397-1406
Anquanette T. Sterling
28 February 2016 ABSTRACT
This paper illustrates how the consumption of sugary beverages lead to obesity and weight gain in children. An 18-month experiment was conducted utilizing 641 normal sized and normal weighted school-aged children ranging from ages four to eleven. At random, participants were given 250 ml of a sugar-free beverage every day, and others where given a beverage that contained 26 grams of sugar. All beverages were issued via the school system. At the conclusion of the experiment, only 477 children completed the study, and the results revealed that the
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After a two year study, with 477 students, amongst eight various elementary schools in Amsterdam, results indicated the exchange of a sugar containing beverage with a sugar-free beverage significantly reduced weight gain and body fat gain in healthy children.
The references included in the journal article encompassed the years of 1980 to 2012. Each are pertinent to the study regarding previous observations and studies of artificial sweeteners. However, some of these references hypothesized how artificial sweeteners were associated with weight gain, vice weight loss, as proposed in the study by Ruyter et al. (2012).
Is there evidence of bias? I do not believe the research is bias. Particularly since the research study was a double-blind case study. It enforced impartiality, and diminished the possibility of statistical bias.
DESIGN AND
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It is estimated that children in the United States ingests three times as many calories from sugar-sweetened beverages as the amount provided in the research trial. It is hypothesized and recommended that the decreased consumption of such beverages could possibly reduce the amount of overweight and obese children.
MY ASSESSMENT Ruyter et al, assessed and conducted research that illustrates the importance of and the need to explore and continue research on childhood obesity. Although their research was limited to Amsterdam, the research is definitely relatable to the United States and how we can support and make minor changes that are beneficial to our children. However, prior to assuming that role, additional research should be conducted that corresponds the results to most nationalities, a wider range of ages, additional weight and height measurements, predisposed ailments, and maximum participation.
REFERNCES
Ruyter, J. C., Olthof, M. R., Seidell, J. C., & and Katan, M. B. (2012). A Trial of Sugar-free or Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Body Weight in Children. The New England Journal of Medicine,