Discussion

Added sugars Responds

1) Samantha:

Are added sugars the cause of the obesity epidemic? Some would say it is very likely so. What we do know is the following. Consumption of added sugars has been implicated in increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in addition to cognitive decline and even some cancers. Support for these associations has been challenged, however, on several fronts. After reading and researching this topic, I've concluded that based on high quality evidence from controlled experiments, reviews, and meta-analyses of studies, that singling out added sugars as culprits for metabolically based diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease appears inconsistent with modern, high quality evidence and is very unlikely to yield health benefits. While it is logical and now somewhat common sense to consume added sugars in moderation, the reduction of these components of the diet without other reductions of caloric sources seems unlikely to achieve any meaningful benefit. In conclusion with these findings, one could come to the understanding that while added sugars are a negative factor that definitively increases risk of such diseases as obesity among others; cutting out just sugars and sweeteners without other health changes would be unlikely to rectify said issues. It is a contributing factor, but not a cause.

2) Karleigh :

I personally believe that there is good reasoning as to why people believe that a reason for obesity is the added sugars. Whenever I think about "eating bad" I think of a fattening meal with a soda. Soda is a prime example of a drink with quite a bit of added sugars. We also all know that there was a time whenever school lunch meals had everything we wanted, and slowly, they got worse and worse because schools stopped adding all of those added sugars that we all loved. I found it very interesting that evidence now is saying that some professionals disagree that added sugars is the cause of the obesity epidemic. They think that even if the drinks and foods did not have the added sugars, they still would have contributed to the rise in obesity. I personally think that they have a good point, yet those sugars that are being added in these drinks and foods only make it worse. It might make the food taste better or the drink taste better, which would lead to more and more people wanting to continue to consume it, which would only prove that these added sugars are actually a real cause of the obesity epidemic.

3) Lindsay

I think that the added sugars in drinks could be a contributor to obesity. Although there have been efforts to limit the availability in schools, these types of drinks are still sold in schools. For example, my high school had lots of soft drinks available for purchase, as well as bottled coffees, teas, vitamin waters and other flavored carbonated waters, and energy drinks like red bulls. As this was in high school and not in middle school or elementary school, it is a little more understanding but is still unnecessary to have all of these sugary and unhealthy drinks available for purchase. These drinks are also high in high-fructose corn syrup (HCFS) which can affect appetite control, increase the storage of fat in the body, and decrease the feeling of satiety. Fructose can also cause other health problems like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver problems. If students are regularly purchasing and consuming these sugary drinks with their lunches, there will be an increase in their consumption of unnecessary added sugars which could possibly lead to obesity and other health problems. I think limiting the amount of these products with added sugars can be beneficial for students' health and might even help them to form healthier habits early on.