FactsStudiesSix-week consumption study

Six-week consumption study

This study monitored symptoms in households eating lots of olestra snacks. Chip-snacking families, who all agreed they would eat olestra chips, were enrolled in the study. They had unlimited free olestra or full-fat chips. Dr. Robert Sandler, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina, was the investigator.

The study was randomized, placebo-controlled, with the placebo group eating full-fat chips. There were 3,181 evaluable subjects in more than 1,000 households, including a broad age range with people over 65 and children aged 2-12. Households could select up to 8 bags of chips per week (about 4 pounds), which is much more than most people buy. Average chip-snacking households eat 2 bags per month, with “heavy” snacking families eating 2 bags per week (Snack Food Association).

Daily data on symptoms, each participant’s assessment of the impact of any symptoms on their daily activities, information on all medications used and any physician visits, showed no difference between olestra snacks and full-fat snacks. About 38% of people in both groups reported digestive effects at some time during the study, which is equivalent to the background rate identified in a separate national telephone survey. There was a small increase of 0.25 symptom days, out of the 42 days of the study, for loose stools and more frequent bowel movements in the olestra group. This is equivalent to a potential increase of 2 extra symptom days over the entire year for these heavy snackers. Participants who did note digestive effects reported no negative impact on their daily lives.