Article: Sugar is fueling the global obesity pandemic

Acg67

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/476247-sugar-new-research-must-read?page=1#posts-6601904

neanderthin

While my low personal opinion of Lustig based on a particular article/video where he demonstrated extreme confirmation bias and outright misinformation to get his point across, there is certainly some truth to this article. When sugar and foods that contain high amounts of sugar represent the lions share of a diet on a percentage basis and when someone is consuming over a maintenance level, which is an important factor, then there certainly is concern, no doubt about it.

^ Bolded the key parts. Given that context I would say "there's a big problem", but I think that blaming sugar is pretty far-fetched as is trying to regulate it. It's the calorie surplus and mind-numbingly stupid diet that the individual is on that is to blame.

Absolutely. Sugar should not be regulated and it should be based on individual choice, but like all choices, information is vital to make the right descision and in that context, it would probably make more sense to promote lifestyle instead of demonizing an ingredient and paining a bullseye on it and taking credit for the cause of obesity, much like was done and still is being done with cholesterol, saturated fat, refined sugar, white flour etc........and all the foods that are associated with those ingredients, to me, that is catalyst that has fueled the nutritional dissection that has led us down the wrong road for over the last 40 years. Lets face it, when the FDA is changing how and what we eat every 5 years based on newer science, it's obvious to me that they are either forgetting what real food is or their driven by politics and lobby groups, I seem to think the later.

Sidesteal

While my low personal opinion of Lustig based on a particular article/video where he demonstrated extreme confirmation bias and outright misinformation to get his point across, there is certainly some truth to this article. When sugar and foods that contain high amounts of sugar represent the lions share of a diet on a percentage basis and when someone is consuming over a maintenance level, which is an important factor, then there certainly is concern, no doubt about it.

^ Bolded the key parts. Given that context I would say "there's a big problem", but I think that blaming sugar is pretty far-fetched as is trying to regulate it. It's the calorie surplus and mind-numbingly stupid diet that the individual is on that is to blame.

Absolutely. Sugar should not be regulated and it should be based on individual choice, but like all choices, information is vital to make the right descision and in that context, it would probably make more sense to promote lifestyle instead of demonizing an ingredient and paining a bullseye on it and taking credit for the cause of obesity, much like was done and still is being done with cholesterol, saturated fat, refined sugar, white flour etc........and all the foods that are associated with those ingredients, to me, that is catalyst that has fueled the nutritional dissection that has led us down the wrong road for over the last 40 years. Lets face it, when the FDA is changing how and what we eat every 5 years based on newer science, it's obvious to me that they are either forgetting what real food is or their driven by politics and lobby groups, I seem to think the later.

^ good post as usual sir.

k8blujay2

Sugar really is killing us. Education, not regulation.

^^^ ITA. In my opinion, the only place they should be regulating it is in processed foods.... but dang it, I want to make my homemade cookies and sweets (which I really don't do all that often) without having an ID check.

Silverkittycat

How absolutely bizarre: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21171482

That's what I get for pubmedding it at 11 at night. Apparently sugar is a pain killer. Eat up, y'all.

Good enough.

hottottie11

Apparently I have low blood sugar....so pass the sugar to me please

saragato

Oh yes let's all blame something else instead of the actual problem, just like the education system. Sugar is not the enemy the same way the majority of schools are not the reason kids are dumb as a bag of wet bricks. You choose your intake level the same way kids choose not to put an effort in to learning.

If we're gonna point fingers, can we at least point them in the right direction?

fatguyweightloss

Depends on the regulation, I would not mind seeing regulations on products targeted to children. Education is one thing but another to create a "healthy whole grain" breakfast cereal like Honey Smacks or Fruit Loops that has more sugar than a twinkie

http://z6mag.com/health/sugar-cereals-like-honey-smacks-captain-crunch-froot-loops-worse-than-a-twinkie-163688.html

GreenEyedGrl86

Oh for the love of God.
These sancti-fit nutri-nazis won't rest until we are regulated, womb-to-tomb.

^^ this!

cmriverside

To be exact:

Eating sugar is fueling the obesity epidemic.



The cure:

Don't eat sugar.

pauljsolie

serious?? the last thing this country needs is MORE government.

OMG, if you were available I'd love to marry you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pauljsolie

To be exact:

Eating sugar is fueling the obesity epidemic.



The cure:

Don't eat sugar.

EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Someone gets it. Thank you for a voice of reason.

stevenleagle

Hmmm there are two points of view to consider in regulating sugar IMHO.

1. On the one hand there is no doubt that big business in the food industry often does the wrong thing in slowly raising sugar levels of foods that we don't even think as having sugar! This does need to be regulated or at least made a lot more transparent (eg do we really need breakfast cereals which are meant to give us a healthy start to the day to be literally covered in sugar?)

2. On the other hand at the consumer level, I believe that government should NOT be overly interventionist (we DO want to know that we have the choice of baking or buying a nice cake on our birthday!)

I agree that at the consumer level, education is the key. What we don't want is Big Brother telling us what to do.

JennieAL

I'm moving to southern France the day a sugar regulation is put into place by the US gov. It's f'ed up enough that the gov closes down raw dairy farms and such.

What I choose to put into my mouth (food-wise) is no one's business but my own. Yes, I would defend my right to do so by breaking a law. No, I'm not an anarchist, but I am a libertarian.

Qarol

Yes, let's blame sugar. What else can we blame?

Oh...nothing. I keep forgetting.

wildon883r

Sugar is just a part of the problem. Gluttony and endless supply of food IS the problem. I saw soda pop in 8 oz bottles as a child swell up to freaking gallons jugs from the local gas station. I also remember when as a child if you were inside the house it was only because we had to go to bed sometime. 90% of our day was outdoors year round playing not just pushing buttons on computers and gaming consoles.

Sugar isn't the problem. We used to eat tons as kids from all those baked goods grandma made. We were all bones. We burned those calories. Society was physically active. I also want to point out that we didn't eat out and if we did it was the same thing you could get at home with the exception that somebody else did the cooking.. The fast food chains came about and polluted eating out with there trash foods. Its already been proven that you can eat nothing but McDonalds or Wendy's and still lose weight if you maintain caloric deficit goal.

People need to limit themselves to one soda a pop a day if that, exercise if you don't have a physical job and quit eating like a pig. Lack of discipline and over abundance of food is what is the problem not sugar. It's easier to blame a substance then it is the real problem ie the person that can't say freaking no.

nikolaim5

Sugar really is killing us. Education, not regulation.

Sugar isn't killing anyone, too much sugar might be. Then again, too much anything will also kill you. Water for instance. Relax America, don't burn down your local Krispy Creme, just don't eat a box in one sitting.

Silverkittycat

To be exact:

Eating sugar is fueling the obesity epidemic.



The cure:

Don't eat sugar.

MattGetsMad

Yes, please, let's put a DEA regulation on sugar! Then we'll take away your right to have cake on your birthday! OMG it will be so wonderful to let the government tell us all what to do!!

You broke my sarcasm meter. You owe me $18.95

MattGetsMad

Sugar consumption in the US has decreased over the last decade and by % of total kcal consumed decreased over the last 40 yrs

Is that due to the introduction of corn sugar, or is that just overall?

ReneeIsSoAwesome

I have a precious grand daughter who is not two years old yet. her mother and father are both obese, nearly morbidly obese, what do you think the chances of my baby ending up the same way? I think for her sake, since her parents won't do it, then please let the government. Look at all the money this country, via medicaid spends on people who just won't back away from the table.

KarateGoddess

Yeah - blame it on sugar. How about WE ALL take responsibility for our global obesity pandemic rather than blaming it on food items. I'm seriously getting tired of all this bologne about how this food or that food is causing people to be fat. It's really stupid if you think about it. Food doesn't cause us to get fat unless we eat too much of it hence who's at fault here.. WE ARE! So barring a medical disorder like hypothyroidism, all you blamers out there take a good hard look in the mirror and you will find the culprit!

Which is why we're all here. Cause we ROCK!

KarateGoddess

Yes, please, let's put a DEA regulation on sugar! Then we'll take away your right to have cake on your birthday! OMG it will be so wonderful to let the government tell us all what to do!!

You broke my sarcasm meter. You owe me $18.95

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Acg67

Sugar consumption in the US has decreased over the last decade and by % of total kcal consumed decreased over the last 40 yrs

Is that due to the introduction of corn sugar, or is that just overall?

Looking at the data from 1970-2009, cane/beet sugar consumption dropped by 128cals per day and corn sweeteners increased by 168cals over that time period. Cals from corn sweeteners peaked in 1999 @ 281 cals daily and since decreased to 221 cals daily in 2009

cydonian

Get rid of high fructose corn syrup and putting it in EVERYTHING, and go back to real sugar. Problem solved. Also, cut out putting even regular sugar in everything -- bread, tomato sauce, I could go on. It's unnecessary.

cydonian

Sugar consumption in the US has decreased over the last decade and by % of total kcal consumed decreased over the last 40 yrs

Is that due to the introduction of corn sugar, or is that just overall?

It has to be, I see sugar (in any form) in so many things now that don't belong, that it couldn't have gone down!

neanderthin

Get rid of high fructose corn syrup and putting it in EVERYTHING, and go back to real sugar. Problem solved. Also, cut out putting even regular sugar in everything -- bread, tomato sauce, I could go on. It's unnecessary.

Not really. It was the cost (corn is highly subsidized) that propelled HFCS along with better consistancy in production and shelf life. Only NA uses HFCS but obesity is worldwide, basically sugar is sugar.

MattGetsMad

Sugar consumption in the US has decreased over the last decade and by % of total kcal consumed decreased over the last 40 yrs

Is that due to the introduction of corn sugar, or is that just overall?

Looking at the data from 1970-2009, cane/beet sugar consumption dropped by 128cals per day and corn sweeteners increased by 168cals over that time period. Cals from corn sweeteners peaked in 1999 @ 281 cals daily and since decreased to 221 cals daily in 2009

Thanks for the info! You're like a living encyclopedia!

Silverkittycat

Thanks for the pain relief, Rebekah. I made you these. :flowerforyou:

LabRat529

Thanks for the pain relief, Rebekah. I made you these. :flowerforyou:

AWWWWWWWW. I love 'em. They even have sprinkles! Star shaped ones!