By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, August 19, 2005, abstracted from “Effect of sucrose on inflammatory markers in overweight humans” in the August 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
In 1965, only 4 percent of children aged 6-11 and 5 percent 12-19 were classified as obese. When this survey was taken in 1999, these numbers quadrupled for children aged 6-11 and tripled for children aged 12-19.1
When looking for explanations, lack of physical activity from too much time in front of the television and on the computer is a significant contributor.2 But perhaps an even more important contributor is our consumption of sugar.
America’s consumption of sugar has paralleled its obesity explosion over the last 20 years. Between 1983 and 1999, consumption of sugar in America has risen more than 30 percent, with the average American now consuming 158 pounds of sugar per year.3 Sugar’s devastating effect on our health can best be realized when we see that “two-thirds of all deaths are due to diseases associated with diet”.4
Now a new study5 has found that sugar may indeed be the most important dietary factor in our obesity and chronic disease.
In the study, 21 overweight men and women (average BMI = 28.0 kg/m2) consumed daily food and drink supplements containing sucrose while 20 overweight men and women consumed artificial sweeteners predominantly from sugar-sweetened drinks (a total of 1.3 liters per day). Over the next 10 weeks, researchers measured C-Reactive Protein, haptoglobin, and transferrin, all important markers of chronic disease risk.
By the end of the study, sucrose intake increased by 151% in the sucrose group and decreased by 42% in the sweetener group, resulting in a 1.6-kg weight gain in the sucrose group and a 1.2-kg weight loss in the sweetener group. Inflammatory markers (CRP, haptoglobin, and transferrin) and CRP increased by 6%, 13%, 5%, respectively, in the sucrose group and decreased by 26% 16%, 2%, respectively, in the sweetener group.
For the researchers, “in the present group of overweight subjects a high consumption of sugar-sweetened foods and drinks increased (inflammatory markers)” and, as a result, increases your risks for obesity and chronic disease.
Reducing your sugar intake is essential to your health. Two ways to help you lose weight and control your sugar intake is to:
Drink more water. Increasing your water intake has been found to help lose weight.6 Current recommendations state you should drink at least eight 8-ounces glasses of water per day.
Following a low glycemic index diet. According to the American Medical Association, “Reduction in glycemic load may aid in the prevention or treatment of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus”.7
Reference:
1 Center For Disease Control and Prevention’s Center for Health Statistics, “Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999-2002”
2 Graf, C., et al., Physical activity, leisure habits and obesity in first-grade children. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil, 2004. 11(4): p. 284-90
3 “Sugar Intakes Hits All-Time High In 1999” posted on the Center for Science in the Public Interest website www.cspinet.org/new/sugar_limit.html
4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The surgeon general's report on Nutrition and health. Washington DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 1988. DHHS (PHS) publication No. 88–50210
5 Sorenson LB. Effect of sucrose on inflammatory markers in overweight humans.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Aug;82(2):421-7
6 Stookey JD. Energy density, energy intake and weight status in a large free-living sample of Chinese adults: exploring the underlying roles of fat, protein, carbohydrate, fiber and water intakes. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2001 May;55(5):349-59
7 Effects of a low-glycemic load diet on resting energy expenditure and heart disease risk factors during weight loss. JAMA. 2004 Nov 24;292(20):2482-90
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