Americans are consuming more sugar than ever and, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, we do so at our peril.
Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2006, Jean A. Welsh, M.P.H., R.N., and her colleagues at Emory University in Atlanta looked at the association between sugar intake and cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The study of over 6,000 adults found that as sugar intake went up, levels of good, protective HDL cholesterol went down, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. People who had a particularly sugar-rich diet (10 percent or greater of total calories) were 50 to more than 300 percent likely to have low HDL levels. Higher consumption of sugar was also associated with higher triglyceride levels, another cardiac risk.
The researchers also found that daily consumption of added sugars has increased substantially since 1977-1978. Its now at 15.8 percent of total calories as opposed to the 10.6 of yesteryear. In the United States, total consumption of sugar has increased substantially in recent decades, largely owing to an increased intake of ?added sugars,? defined as caloric sweeteners used by the food industry and consumers as ingredients in processed or prepared foods to increase the desirability of these foods, Welsh and her colleagues wrote.
While the studys authors point to the need for long-term studies to see if reducing added sugars can improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels, they believe their research backs up a call for a reduction in sugar consumption. Our data support dietary guidelines that target a reduction in consumption of added sugar, the researchers concluded.
Source: American Medical Association
You might also be interested in watching: When Sugar Is Not So Sweet
