Put your hands up and step away from the sugar! No, not really. But one day, sugar may be a regulated substance, on par with alcohol and tobacco. The notion seems draconian at first, but once you look at the reasoning behind it, it begins to make a lot of sense. Researchers from the University of California (UC) San Francisco stipulate that excessive consumption of sugar is behind the global obesity pandemic. Sugar contributes to over 35 million deaths per year from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Their desire is to see a healthier world with fewer health-related costs through the restriction and regulation of sugar.
Put your hands up and step away from the sugar! No, not really. But one day, sugar might be a regulated substance, on par with alcohol and tobacco. The notion seems draconian at first, but once you look at the reasoning behind it, it begins to make a lot of sense. Researchers from the University of California (UC) San Francisco stipulate that excessive consumption of sugar is behind the global obesity pandemic. Sugar contributes to over 35 million deaths per year from diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Their desire is to see a healthier world with fewer health-related costs through the restriction and regulation of sugar.
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The study was published in the journal, Nature, and led by Robert Lustig, M.D., Laura Schmidt, Ph.D., MSW, MPH, and Claire Brindis, DPH. Their partnership brought together a wide range of expertise in disciplines such as endocrinology, sociology, and public health.
Their largest complaint is that the typical American citizen regards sugar non-chalantly as simply empty calories. In truth, they argue, sugar when consumed at the rate of the average American, changes metabolism, raises blood pressure, alters hormone production, and damages the liver.
"As long as the public thinks that sugar is just 'empty calories,' we have no chance in solving this," said Lustig. "There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. But sugar is toxic beyond its calories."
The researchers point to sugars effects as being largely similar to those of alcohol abuse. Alcohol after all, is the distillation of sugar.
Their statistics show the global consumption of sugar tripling in the past 50 years, correlating to the rise in obesity. But shifting society to a new low-sugar trajectory is a complicated challenge. There are cultural aspects to sugar that have been with society for many years.
For example, soda is the most advertised beverage. Ice cream trucks are still circling our neighborhoods in summer. Everyone still gets a birthday cake. And for everybody, sweet pastries and deserts are always considered a "treat".
The UC San Francisco researchers are not suggesting the prohibition of sugary foods. Rather, they advocate governments to take subtle actions that might make eating excessive sugar a little less easy. At the same time, make choices in non-sugary foods a little more appealing.
From a libertarian standpoint, it appears like government-run social engineering. But with health care costs going through the roof, it might be what is necessary. Hopefully, the option of buying a candy bar will still be around. Unfortunately, that candy bar might cost about five bucks.
For more information: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/27061
Cake-eating image via Shutterstock
