Study finds sugar in beverages more dangerous than sugar in food | 1 NEWS NOW

Researchers at the University of Auckland have just published an article that reveals that sugar in beverages is more dangerous than sugar in foods.

The paper was published in Obesity, the official journal of The Obesity Society, and written by Dr. Gerhard Sundborn, of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and Health at the University of Auckland, alongside several from his co-investigators, Dr. Bodo Lang and Simon Thornley, also from the University.

The document examined existing evidence around the world.

The researchers found that, compared to sugar in solid foods, the sugar in drinks was more likely to cause harmful metabolic changes that could lead to chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

"This is due to its concentration, its amount and the speed with which the sugar is metabolized when it is consumed in liquid form rather than in solid form," says Dr. Sundborn, Senior Lecturer at the School of Medicine. Population Health.

The review included eight studies directly comparing the metabolic effects of liquid and solid sugars.

The examination of the evidence also led to the conclusion that, from 2002 to 2016, the consumption of sweetened beverages increased in New Zealand compared to the United Kingdom and the United States, where the total consumption of sweetened beverages has increased. regularly decreased.

"It's clear that sugar in beverages is more dangerous than sugar in food, which means we should focus our efforts on sugary drinks at first," says Dr. Sundborn.

Dr. Sundborn and his co-researchers said the discovery provided more evidence of the introduction of a tax on sweetened beverages to promote better health.

A typical "energy drink" or energy drink contains 27 grams, or about seven teaspoons of sugar per 236 ml of beverage (about one cup), compared to 26 grams in the same volume of soft drinks and 24 grams (six teaspoons). ) each for sweet teas. and flavored milk.

"We have one of the highest rates of childhood obesity and adult obesity, and our government and Minister of Health, Dr. David Clark, must introduce a sweet beverage tax to address this problem, "said co-investigator Dr. Simon Thornley also at the School of Population Health.