from journal Obesity
The harmful effects of added sugar often focus on obesity, but a study from the University of California San Francisco shows sugar is harmful not because of its calories or its effect on weight. Researchers say the study provides a solid indication that sugar contributes to metabolic syndrome in children. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions, such as increased blood pressure, higher blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The study shows reducing consumption of added sugar, even without reducing calories or losing weight, has the power to reverse metabolic syndrome in as little as ten days. Dr. Jean-Marc Schwarz, senior author of the paper appearing in the journal Obesity, says he has never seen results as striking or significant in his human studies.