Reduction of Sweetened Beverages and Intrahepatic Fat

Effects of a Reduction of Sweetened Beverages Consumption in Overweight High Consumers on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

The study will enroll 68 overweight male and female subjects with a high (> 2 3dl-can soda/day) consumption of sweetened beverage per day. After a run-in period of 4 weeks, subjects will be randomized to either a 12-week intervention arm in which sweetened beverages will be replaced by artificially sweetened, calorie-free beverages, or to a control arm. The following measurements will be performed at the end of the run-in period and at the end of the intervention period

• intrahepatic fat concentration
• visceral fat volume
• changes in day-long metabolic profile from baseline(plasma glucose, insulin, and triglyceride concentrations)
• changes in food intake and daily energy, carbohydrate and sugars intake from baseline

Inclusion Criteria:

• gender male or female
• body mass index (BMI) > 27 kg/m2 consumption of > 2 3dl-can regular soda/day
• low to moderate physical activity (< 60 min walking/day; < 3 exercise session/week

Exclusion Criteria:

• diabetes mellitus
• liver, kidney or heart disease
• any current drug treatment
• contra-indications to MR examination (pacemaker, foreign bodies,etc)
• pregnancy or planned pregnancy
• active weight gain or weight loss (weight change > 4 kg in the past 12 months)
• consumption of drugs or illicit substances
• consumption of more than 10g alcohol/day
• vegetarians or subjects on special diets