The ubiquitous food ingredient 'sugar' has been under the scanner of doctors and dieticians for quite some time now. Melange spoke to a few doctors to understand the ramifications of excessive sugar intake.
Rates of obesity are increasing worldwide and added sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened beverages, is thought to be one of the main culprits. "Sugar-sweetened drinks like sodas, juices and sweet teas are loaded with fructose, which is essentially a type of simple sugar. Consuming fructose increases your hunger and desire for food more than glucose, the main type of sugar found in starchy foods," explains Dr Nilom Sharma, who specializes in medicine. "Excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating," he cautions.
Research has consistently shown that people who drink sugary beverages, such as soda and juice, weigh more than people who don't. "Also, drinking a lot of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to an increased amount of visceral fat, a kind of deep belly fat associated with conditions like diabetes and heart disease," says Dr Sumita Khound, a heart surgeon at a private hospital.
High- sugar diets have been associated with an increased risk of many diseases, including heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide. "Evidence suggests that high-sugar diets can lead to obesity, inflammation and high triglyceride, blood sugar and blood pressure levels — all risk factors for heart disease," elaborates Dr Khound. According to her consuming too much sugar, especially from sugar-sweetened drinks, has been linked to atherosclerosis, a disease characterized by fatty, artery-clogging deposits.
The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has more than doubled over the past 30 years. Though there are many reasons for this, there is a clear link between excessive sugar consumption and diabetes risk.
In the words of Khound, "Obesity, which is often caused by consuming too much sugar, is considered the strongest risk factor for diabetes. What's more, prolonged high-sugar consumption drives resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance causes blood sugar levels to rise and this strongly increases your risk of diabetes."
Dr Sharma shares that research on the link between added sugar intake and cancer is ongoing and more studies are needed to fully understand this complex relationship.
There are other ramifications of sugar rich diets too. "A diet high in refined carbohydrates, including sugary foods and drinks, has been associated with a higher risk of developing acne. Sugary foods quickly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, causing increased androgen secretion, oil production and inflammation, all of which play a role in acne development. Studies have shown that low-glycemic diets are associated with a reduced acne risk, while high-glycemic diets are linked to a greater risk," concludes Dr Sharma.
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