Published: May 2026

Journal: J Nutr

Authors: Krieger JW, Davis JN, Ng SW, Nguyen M, Zimova A, Hedrick VE, Malik VS, Smith Taillie L, Sylvetsky AC, Falbe J

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This perspective provides policymakers, advocates and researchers with a description of proposed and enacted policies that assist consumers in identifying products with nonsugar sweeteners (NSS) and/or reduce NSS exposure. Consumption of NSS is associated with multiple chronic diseases. NSS exposure is increasing as food and beverage manufacturers replace added sugars with NSS. This narrative review was conducted to identify public policies addressing NSS, focusing on the United States while also considering the international context. A policy scan identified relevant polices through: 1) review of a United States sweetened beverage policy database, 2) systematic searches of 5 online United States policy databases and PubMed, 3) review of a World Health Organization food policy database, 4) survey of NSS policy experts, and 5) review of policies known to the research team. 416 proposed or enacted policies were identified and classified into 9 groups: bans and restrictions on NSS use (n = 26), excise taxes (n = 106), sales taxes (n = 67), food package labels and disclosures (n = 47), healthy retail (n = 2), procurement and nutrition standards (n = 71), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit restrictions (n = 54), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children nutrition standards (n = 7), restaurant healthy default beverages (n = 34), and marketing restrictions (n = 2). Public policies with the greatest potential impact are bans or restrictions on use, excise taxes, and front-of-package warnings and disclosures.

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