Do Nonnutritive Sweeteners Alter Appetite and Food Preferences in Children? Current Evidence and Future Directions

Background/Objectives: Nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) are increasingly consumed by children, but their effects on appetite regulation and food preference remain uncertain. This review evaluated whether NNS influence appetite, satiety, subsequent energy intake, sweet taste liking, preferred sweetness, or food choice in children, and how key study and developmental factors affect interpretation.