High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sucrose Sweetened Milk Improve Dietary Quality during Weight Loss by Displacing Energy Dense, Nutrient Poor Foods

Abstract

We examined dietary quality and weight loss among adults who drank flavored milk sweetened with either high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or sucrose at average population consumption levels of fructose. This was a blinded, prospective randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of 10% or 20% of calories from either HFCS or sucrose sweetened 1% fat, flavored milk as part of a hypocaloric diet. Participants (n = 98) followed this diet and completed three day food records at the beginning and end of the intervention. Results were pooled and compared with 31 non-milk drinking controls. Equivalent and significant weight loss occurred in all intervention groups whose data were pooled. Weight loss was different between the groups (weight loss and sweetened milk: pre: 192 ± 28 versus post: 183 ± 28 pounds; control: pre: 190 ± 22 versus post: 187 ± 22 pounds, interaction p < 0.001). Compliance to milk consumption was over 96%. The increase in percentage of calories from carbohydrates (49 ± 8 versus 55 ± 6, p < 0.001) and protein (17 ± 5 versus 21 ± 3, p < 0.001) was offset by a reduction in percentage of calories from fat (33 ± 7 versus 24 ± 5, p < 0.001). Intakes of dietary calcium (839 ± 377 versus 1530 ± 407 milligrams, p<0.001), vitamin D (4 ± 3 versus 13 ± 3 micrograms, p < 0.001), potassium (2417 ± 766 versus 3183 ± 667 milligrams, p < 0.001) and magnesium (272 ± 83 versus 306 ± 73 milligrams, p = 0.001) increased, while sodium (3216 ± 1161 versus 2253 ± 684 milligrams, p < 0.001) declined. We conclude that HFCS and sucrose consumed at 10% - 20% of calories may improve dietary quality during weight loss by improving compliance with nutrient dense foods such as low fat flavored milk.