Healthy People Are at Risk of Developing Heart Disease

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A study from the University of Surrey found that a subject group of otherwise healthy men had increased levels of fat in their blood and fat stored in their livers after they had consumed a high sugar diet. 

A study from the University of Surrey found that a subject group of otherwise healthy men had increased levels of fat in their blood and fat stored in their livers after they had consumed a high sugar diet. 

The study, which has been published in Clinical Science, looked at two groups of men with either high or low levels of liver fat, and fed them a high or low sugar diet to find out if the amount of liver fat influences the impact of sugar on their cardiovascular health. The low sugar diet contained no more than 140 calories a day worth of sugar - an amount close to the recommended intake - while the high sugar diet contained 650 calories worth.

After 12 weeks on the high sugar diet, the men with a high level of liver fat – a condition known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) – showed changes in their fat metabolism that are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes. 

Read more at University of Surrey

Image: Professor of Nutritional Metabolism, Bruce Griffin (Credit: University of Surrey)