preferences for sweetness in specific foods are
context dependent and can be influenced by prior exposure to
those foods. Dissociating sweetness from energy may affect
expectations for sweetness in foods and, potentially, foodseeking
behavior. The ability to compensate for variability in
energy intake seems to decrease with age; thus, the impact of
LCS use in the weight management of children may not parallel
that of adults. However, the biologic response to sweetness is
only one aspect of food preference and food selection. Important
areas for future research include determining the role that
dietary habits, including the use of LCS, play in the preferences
and physiological consequences of sweets in children as well as
elucidating the impact of culture and economics on the choice
and purchases of sweet-tasting foods across the lifespan. More
knowledge about the consequences of feeding such foods and
beverages to children, who today struggle with obesity and
diabetes more than any previous generation, should be a
research priority.