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

NCT ID: NCT05992688

Last Updated: 2025-12-22

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

150 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-09-19

Study Completion Date

2026-11-30

Brief Summary

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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 has benefits for weight control and metabolic function relative to caloric sweeteners, and whether it provides benefits in this regard similar to water.

Detailed Description

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Up to 150 children will be enrolled in the study to achieve a final sample of 90 completers (30 per group). The proposed study will be an 8 to 14-week, three-arm, randomized, controlled, blinded trial in children ages 8 to 12 years from the Central Arkansas region. Children will be randomized to consume one of three beverages: 1) sucrose-sweetened beverage, 2) stevia-sweetened beverage, or 3) calorie-free flavored water beverage. Participants with excessive weight (BMI percentile ≥85th and \<140 percent of the 95th percentile) will complete a 14-week intervention whereas normal-weight (BMI percentile \<85th) participants will complete an 8-week intervention in parallel.

Conditions

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Adiposity Insulin Sensitivity Weight Gain Blood Pressure Lipoproteins

Keywords

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Cardiometabolic health

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

TRIPLE

Participants Investigators Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Sucrose sweetened beverage

Sucrose (i.e. sugar): 31.2 g sugar (124.8 Kcal per serving). Participants will be asked to consume the study product once a day for 8 to 14 weeks if they have normal weight or excessive weight, respectively.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Sucrose sweetened beverage

Intervention Type OTHER

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Stevia sweetened beverage

The stevia-sweetened beverage contains 48.6 mg of steviol equivalents. Participants will be asked to consume the study product once a day for 8 to 14 weeks if they have normal weight or excessive weight, respectively.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Stevia sweetened beverages

Intervention Type OTHER

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Calorie free flavored water beverage

Flavored water. Participants will be asked to consume the study product once a day for 8 to 14 weeks if they have normal weight or excessive weight, respectively.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Calorie free flavored water beverage

Intervention Type OTHER

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Interventions

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Sucrose sweetened beverage

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Intervention Type OTHER

Stevia sweetened beverages

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Intervention Type OTHER

Calorie free flavored water beverage

Children who habitually consume sugar (sucrose) - sweetened beverages who are randomized to this arm, will consume the study product for 8 to 14 weeks.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion 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 (≥2 times /wk)
* Low consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners (≤ 3 time/wk)

Exclusion Criteria

* 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 visit)
* Asthma that requires daily use of inhalers to keep symptoms under control.
* Asthma that requires use of rescue inhalers (e.g., albuterol) \>2 days per week
* 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) currently under medication.
* Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).
* Epilepsy.
* Cancer.
* Chronic kidney disease.
* Endocrine disorder (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.
* If, during the screening or consent process, the parent or child expresses refusal to have blood drawn. However, participants may remain in the study if after initially agreeing to the blood draw and enrolling they change their minds and choose not to allow blood draws or if blood draws are unsuccessful.
* Dislike of study products assessed at initial visit.
* Fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl at enrollment.
* Fasting A1C ≥6.5% at enrollment
* Less than 2 months since completion of antibiotics
Minimum Eligible Age

8 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

12 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Cargill

INDUSTRY

Sponsor Role collaborator

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Eva Diaz, M.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

Locations

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Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center

Little Rock, Arkansas, United States

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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United States

Central Contacts

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Eva C Diaz, M.D.

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 5013643056

Email: [email protected]

Mario Ferruzzi, Ph.D.

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 5013642781

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Tonja Nolen

Role: primary

Eva Diaz, MD

Role: backup

Eva C Diaz, MD

Role: primary

Mario Ferruzzi, PhD

Role: backup

Other Identifiers

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275844

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id