Fat deposits are linked to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to a study published in the EJPC. Sugar consumption is linked to the largest fat deposits around the heart and abdomen, which is dangerous to health.
Excessive sugar consumption
That is the main finding of a study published today in The European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
“When we consume too much sugar, the excess becomes fat and builds up,” So Yun Yi said, who is the study author from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (USA). “This fatty tissue located around the heart and in the abdomen releases chemicals in the body that can be harmful to health.” Therefore, she stressed, “our results promote the limitation of sugar consumption.”
Excessive sugar consumption is a global problem. The six countries with the highest sales of sugary drinks per person are Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, the United States and Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, demand for sugar is expected to increase in Asia, Africa and Russia.
The study
This observational study examined both the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks) and the sugar added to foods and sugary drinks (for example when cooking or in processed foods). The researchers looked at the association between long-term sugar consumption and fat deposits around the heart and other organs.
The data was obtained from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, an ongoing cooperative study in the USA. In total 3,070 healthy participants ages 18-30 were included in this study. Food and beverage intake was evaluated three times over a 20-year period (1985 to 2005). In 2010, after 25 years, chest and abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans were taken to measure fat volumes in the abdomen and around the heart.
The conclusions
The researchers found that sugar intake over the 20-year period was related to fat volumes as years went by. Increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and added sugar was associated with a gradual increase of fat deposits around the organs.
“Our findings provide more data that shows that consuming too much added sugar and sugary beverages is linked to higher amounts of fat tissue,” Lyn Steffen said, study author form the University of Minnesota. “And we know that fat deposits are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.”
Steffen advised reducing the amount of added sugar consumed each day. “Drink water instead of sugary drinks and choose healthier snacks instead of foods that are high in added sugar such as pastries.” She added that it is important that “we learn to read food labels to verify the amount of added sugar contained in the products we are buying. Being more conscious of ‘hidden’ sugars will help you reduce intake.”
Steffen concluded: “In addition to our individual efforts, governments, food companies, restaurants, schools and workplaces have a role to play in increasing consumer awareness of the sugar content in food and beverages and offering healthier alternatives”.
Link: https://www.sochob.cl/web/demasiada-azucar-forma-depositos-de-grasa-en-el-corazon/
Date: June 29th, 2020
Source: https://www.abc.es
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