Diet and Obesity - Sugar Consumption

Sugar Consumption

Existing evidence from large-scale cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies supports that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is correlated with the childhood and adult obesity epidemic in the United States population (Malik et al. 2006). Sweetened drinks containing either sucrose alone or sucrose in combination with fructose appear to lead to weight gain due to increase energy intake. In fact, about half of total added sugar consumed in the United States is in liquid form. Teenage boys showed the greatest consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, upwards of 357 calories per day. In addition to the evidence that humans have a natural propensity towards sugar, there exists additional biological plausibility that explains the correlation of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity.

Sugar-sweetened beverages raise concern because they are calorie-dense and yet produce low satiety. There exists a strong correlation between the consumption of liquid calories and total energy intake. Individuals do not tend to decrease solid calories in compensation for increased liquid calories. For example, if there were no compensation for liquid calories, the 40-50g of sugar in each 12 oz. can of soda drunk on a daily basis could lead to a 15 pound weight gain per year. On the national scale, the American Heart Association estimates that approximately half of the total caloric intake increase over the past 30 years is attributable to liquid calories. The high glycemic load of these beverages is also thought to be a contributor to chronic disease, including diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Furthermore, there is emerging evidence that suggests sugar may be an addictive substance, further potentiating any individuals’ existing problem of excessive consumption.

The soda industry budget for advertising in 2000 totaled over $700 million in the US, an increase of over $381 million since 1986. Furthermore, standard serving sizes have increased from 8-ounce to 12-ounce bottles between 1977-1996. Price incentives from beverage companies have kept their product prices low.