Post by Lone Wanderer on Jan 8, 2018 10:00:55 GMT
Source: Could sugar be responsible for the obesity and diabetes epidemics?
Summary: The idea that sugar could be a fundamental cause of the global obesity and diabetes epidemics, with deleterious effects on the human body that go beyond just empty calories, should be considered seriously again, argues an expert.
The past decade has seen a renewed interest in the possibility that calorific sweeteners -- particularly sugar and high fructose syrups -- have major roles in causing obesity and diabetes -- and major public health organisations are now recommending strict limits to the consumption of these "free sugars."
But Taubes argues that these recommendations target sugar only for its calories rather than as a potential causal agent of disease.
What if the problem is the sugar itself, he asks? Sugar is metabolised differently than other carb-rich foods and could have deleterious effects on the human body independent of its calorific content.
The evidence that sugar has harmful qualities independent of its calories is still ambiguous, says Taubes. "If it is true, though, it changes how we must communicate the dangers of sugar consumption."
Setting an upper limit to the amount of sugar that should be consumed in a healthy diet is a good start, "but we don't know if the level recommended is safe for everyone," he warns. "It could be that for people who have obesity or diabetes, or both, even a little is too much. And the ubiquity of sugar rich products may make it difficult for many people to maintain a healthy level of sugar consumption."
Given the scale of the obesity and diabetes epidemics, "then a concerted programme of research to establish reliable knowledge on this subject should be among our highest priorities," he concludes. "Meanwhile, we can acknowledge the uncertainties while still recommending strongly against consumption."
Summary: The idea that sugar could be a fundamental cause of the global obesity and diabetes epidemics, with deleterious effects on the human body that go beyond just empty calories, should be considered seriously again, argues an expert.
The past decade has seen a renewed interest in the possibility that calorific sweeteners -- particularly sugar and high fructose syrups -- have major roles in causing obesity and diabetes -- and major public health organisations are now recommending strict limits to the consumption of these "free sugars."
But Taubes argues that these recommendations target sugar only for its calories rather than as a potential causal agent of disease.
What if the problem is the sugar itself, he asks? Sugar is metabolised differently than other carb-rich foods and could have deleterious effects on the human body independent of its calorific content.
The evidence that sugar has harmful qualities independent of its calories is still ambiguous, says Taubes. "If it is true, though, it changes how we must communicate the dangers of sugar consumption."
Setting an upper limit to the amount of sugar that should be consumed in a healthy diet is a good start, "but we don't know if the level recommended is safe for everyone," he warns. "It could be that for people who have obesity or diabetes, or both, even a little is too much. And the ubiquity of sugar rich products may make it difficult for many people to maintain a healthy level of sugar consumption."
Given the scale of the obesity and diabetes epidemics, "then a concerted programme of research to establish reliable knowledge on this subject should be among our highest priorities," he concludes. "Meanwhile, we can acknowledge the uncertainties while still recommending strongly against consumption."
