Fructose Tied to Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes
Most people who struggle with their weight have been told to avoid high levels of sugar, at one point or another, and for good reason.
Doctors from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore are among many in the medical field who blame the high levels of fructose in snacks and beverages for increased rates of Type 2 diabetes and the current obesity epidemic in America.
Fructose is a sweetener found naturally in fruits. But massive amounts of it are used in corn syrup, which is found generously in foods and beverages – hence the ingredient “high fructose corn syrup” that can provide up to 13 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce can of soda.
Studies show that consuming fructose stimulates the appetite and leads to a bigger appetite for more food, most of it loaded with even more fructose and empty calories.
This stands in contrast to glucose, a sugar that is found in carbohydrates, which decreases appetite. The high intake of fructose can also lead to insulin resistance, which can be a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.
Professor M. Daniel Lane of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine noted that the average American consumes 145 pounds of sweeteners a year – much of it fructose – and teenagers and children likely consume more.
Dr. Lane notes that this level of consumption, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, raises serious health concerns, given the continual increase in obesity rates among kids and adolescents.
