Increases in sugar consumption mirrors the rises in modern diseases

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 86, No. 4, 899-906, October 2007

Potential role of sugar (fructose) in the epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease1,2,3
Richard J Johnson, Mark S Segal, Yuri Sautin, Takahiko Nakagawa, Daniel I Feig, Duk-Hee Kang, Michael S Gersch, Steven Benner and Laura G Sánchez-Lozada
1 From the Division of Nephrology and Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL (RJJ, MSS, YS, TN, and MSG); the Division of Pediatric Nephrology, Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX (DIF); the Division of Nephrology, Ewha Woman's University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (D-HK); the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Gainesville, FL (SB); and the Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia Ignacio Chavez, Mexico City, Mexico (LGS-L)
2 Supported by NIH grants DK-52121, HL-68607, and HL-79352 (to RJJ) and by a grant from the Korea Health 21 R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (A050626; to D-HK).
3 Address reprint requests to RJ Johnson, CG-98, 1600 Archer Road, Gainesville, FL 32610

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/86/4/899.full#R40

In this review of sugar and it's role in epidemic of hypertension, obesity and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease Johnson found evidence of many associations including:

(a) There are striking  associations between sugar intake and the epidemic of cardiorenal disease. For example, obesity was initially seen primarily in the wealthy, who would have been the only ones able to afford sugar.
(b) The first documentation of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity occurred in the very countries (England, France, and Germany) where sugar first became available to the public.
(c) The rise in sugar intake in the United Kingdom and the United States also correlates with the rise in obesity rates observed in these countries.
(d) The later introduction of sugar to developing countries also correlates with the later rise in their rates of obesity and heart disease.
(e) A series of studies linked the ingestion of soft drinks to obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
(f) A series of studies linked the consumption of fruit juice and fruit punch to obesity in children.
(g) Clinical studies have confirmed that sucrose (and particularly fructose) can induce weight gain, features of the metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.
(h) One unique aspect of fructose is that it is the only sugar that raises uric acid concentrations which may induce gout and heart disease.

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Table sugar implicated in degenerative diseases

Published in the Ann Nutr Metab 1983;27:425-435

Serum Uric Acid, Inorganic Phosphorus, and Glutamic-Oxalacetic Transaminase and Blood Pressure in Carbohydrate-Sensitive Adults Consuming Three Different Levels of Sucrose
Karan D. Israela, Otho E. Michaelis IVa, Sheldon Reisera, Mark Keeneyb
aCarbohydrate Nutrition Laboratory, Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Md., USA, and
bDepartment of Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Md., USA

This study can be accessed at: http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Doi=176714

Elevated uric acid in the bloodstream has been associated with Gout.

In the study 12 men and 12 women consumed diets containing either 5, 18, or 33 % sucrose to determine their effects on uric acid and other levels.

The study found that:
(a) Fasting blood uric acid increased as the level of dietary sucrose increased.
(b) Diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher when subjects were on the 33% sucrose diet as compared to the 5 and 18 % diets.

Karan concludes: "Since elevated serum uric acid and blood pressure have been identified as risk factors in degenerative diseases, this study suggests that carbohydrate sensitive individuals should limit their sucrose consumption".

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