The Sweet Kids Study (Stevia on Weight and Energy Effect Over Time)

Description

This is an 8 to14-week three-arm randomized controlled in children 8 to 12 years old. The main purpose of the study is to evaluate if stevia (as with other sweeteners and consistent with prior research in children and adults) has benefits for weight control and metabolic function relative to caloric sweeteners, and whether it provides benefits in this regard similar to water.

Conditions

Weight Gain, Adiposity, Insulin Sensitivity, Microbial Colonization

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

This is an 8 to14-week three-arm randomized controlled in children 8 to 12 years old. The main purpose of the study is to evaluate if stevia (as with other sweeteners and consistent with prior research in children and adults) has benefits for weight control and metabolic function relative to caloric sweeteners, and whether it provides benefits in this regard similar to water.

The Sweet Kids Study (Stevia on Weight and Energy Effect Over Time)

The Sweet Kids Study (Stevia on Weight and Energy Effect Over Time)

Condition
Weight Gain
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Little Rock

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, 72202

Little Rock

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center, Little Rock, Arkansas, United States, 72202

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * Age 8-12 years
  • * Normal weight: BMI percentile ≥5th to \<85th
  • * Excessive weight: BMI percentile ≥ 85th and \<140% of the 95th percentile or BMI ≥35 to \<40 kg/m2
  • * Current consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (≥3 times /wk)
  • * Low consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (≤ 3 time/wk)
  • * Willingness to consume experimental products
  • * Children with class 3 obesity (i.e., BMI ≥ 140% of the 95th percentile or BMI ≥ 40.0 kg/m2)
  • * Dislike of experimental beverage taste (assessed at initial screening)
  • * Severe persistent asthma (determined by daily use of inhaler(s) to keep asthma symptoms under control).
  • * Exercise induced asthma.
  • * Autism spectrum disorder (e.g., Autistic disorder, Rett disorder, Asperger disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).
  • * Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • * Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
  • * Epilepsy.
  • * Chronic kidney disease.
  • * Hormonal disease (e.g., hypothyroidism and growth hormone deficiency).
  • * Autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, thyroiditis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis)
  • * Bleeding disorders (e.g., hemophilia)
  • * Chronic infections (e.g., HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C).
  • * Mental health disorders (e.g., depression and anxiety).
  • * Type 2 and type 1 diabetes mellitus.
  • * Other pre-existing medical conditions or medications as determined by the investigators to affect the outcomes of interest.
  • * Parent/child refusal to have blood drawn.
  • * Fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl at enrollment.
  • * Fasting A1C ≥6.5% at enrollment or follow up visits.
  • * Less than 2 months since completion of antibiotics

Ages Eligible for Study

8 Years to 12 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Collaborators and Investigators

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute,

Study Record Dates

2026-10-31