The recently released guideline provides policy-makers and program managers with recommendations on how to effectively address the use of non-sugar sweeteners within their populations. It offers a comprehensive set of policy actions and public health interventions that can be implemented to regulate and promote the appropriate use of non-sugar sweeteners. Mostly importantly, in the guideline, WHO suggests that non-sugar sweeteners should not be used as a means of achieving weight control or reducing the risk of noncommunicable diseases (conditional recommendation), although the recommendation excludes personal care and hygiene products that contain non-sugar sweeteners, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, and it does not apply to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols) that contain calories and are not considered non-sugar sweeteners.
Sugarintelligence.com will closely monitor future national policy responses to the WHO Guideline.