Sugars and weight gain

Abstract

Welcome to Public Health Moment from the University of Minnesota. Over the last 30 years, Minnesotans, on average, have increased their intake of added sugar. During that same period, Minnesotans have experienced weight gain. Is there a connection? The added sugars are at the least a contributing factor in the weight gain, says Huifen Wang, a University of Minnesota research assistant. Wang led the study involving people aged 25 to 74 and living in the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. But what is added sugar? Wang explains. <Wang: “By definition, added sugars are sugars and syrup added to food during processing, preparation or added at the table. And actually, nowadays, people are consuming much more added sugars than they did four decades ago. The primary food sources of added sugars in Americans’ diets are sugar-sweetened beverages, like sodas, energy sports and fruit drinks.”> Wang recommends limiting your intake of added sugars. <Wang: “Drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Don’t add too much sugar to the foods at the table. Actually, according to the recommendation from the American Heart Association, most American women should not consume more than 100 calories of added sugars per day. And for men there should be no more than 150 calories.”>