Is High-Fructose Corn Syrup Behind the Obesity Epidemic?

For decades, many dieters seeking to shed a few excess pounds have avoided indulging in too many desserts, sugar, and other sweet treats. Though tasty, these foods pack a lot of calories into each bite, with few nutritional benefits to help soften the blow. The irresistible taste of sugary snacks also makes it difficult to say no, presenting a portion-control challenge for wary weight watchers, as well.

While many nutritionists, dieticians, and bariatric specialists agree that sweets should be eliminated from serious weight-loss efforts, some researchers are now contending that another culprit -- a common sweetening agent known as high-fructose corn syrup -- may pose a greater threat in the battle of the bulge.

This sweetener is a byproduct of naturally-sweet corn that has been enhanced to increase its sugary properties. The resulting sweetening agent is now used to add flavor to a staggering array of processed foods, ranging from catsup to sandwich bread.

Although the health impact of high fructose corn syrup remains a topic of heated debate, a growing number of researchers are identifying this sweetener as a possible cause of the unprecedented obesity epidemic now sweeping the United States and other developed nations. This week, we?ll review the findings of several recent studies that have looked at the possible relationship between high fructose corn syrup and weight gain.

Fructose May Play Key Role in Weight Gain

During the last decade, proponents of low-carb diets vilified all carbohydrate-containing foods as equally fattening. However, according to the results of a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida, some carb-laden foods may be worse than others.

Comparing the weight-gain effects of a wide variety of starches and sugary foods and beverages, the researchers found that sugary foods were more likely to promote weight gain than were starchy foods like rice and potatoes. The most pronounced weight-gain effects were associated with foods with high fructose contents, including high-fructose corn syrup.

More specifically, the researchers singled out fructose and fructose-containing food products as being the most dangerous in terms of their ability to spark insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, two causes of obesity, type II diabetes, and myriad other health problems. They suggested that a fructose index of foods could be used as an important tool in the weight loss process.

Fructose, Sugar Increase Appetite in the Same Manner, Study Shows

It has long been suspected that the appealingly sweet taste of sugary foods often prompt people to overindulge in sweet treats, overriding their bodies' natural hunger mechanisms simply as a means to taste more of the sweet food. However, according to the results of a recent study conducted by scientists at the Nutritional Sciences Program at the University of Washington, fructose and fructose-containing products appear to incite the appetite in much the same way.

In a study that compared the eating habits of individuals consuming sugary and diet sodas and other beverages, it was found that the subjects who drank the sugar- or fructose-containing beverages consumed more calories than those who were served diet drinks. The appetite-stimulating effect held true whether the sweetener used was cane sugar, sucrose, or fructose.

The researchers called for further investigation into the link between fructose, appetite, and obesity. In addition, they cautioned dieters to avoid sweetened beverages when trying to limit total calorie intake.

Drinks Sweetened with Fructose Linked to Obesity, Other Health Problems

There are many variables in the modern diet that differ drastically from the consumption patterns that persisted for millennia. Scientists all over the world have focused their efforts on determining which of these changes has given rise to the obesity epidemic now facing many industrialized nations.

One common variable that has emerged in a recent analysis of world health data is the prevalence of beverages sweetened with fructose and high-fructose corn syrup. A research team affiliated with the University of Barcelona has identified the molecular processes that may link fructose and obesity.

According to the team, fructose works to change the way the body processes lipid energy. Over time, long-term consumption of fructose-consuming products may result in fatty liver and metabolic syndrome. These conditions, in turn, are strongly implicated as precursors of obesity.

The scientists agree that more research will be needed to make a conclusive determination as to the relationship between fructose and obesity. However, in the interim, they suggest that dieters avoid beverages containing the substance.

If you have questions about the health impact of high-fructose corn syrup, talk to your doctor or a licensed nutritionist. Check back each week for more of the research news you need to succeed in your journey toward better health.