We conclude based on high quality evidence from r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) , systematic review s and meta-analyses of cohort studies that singling out added sugars as unique culprits for metabolically based diseases such as obesity , diabetes and cardiovascular disease appears inconsistent with modern , high quality evidence and is very unlikely to yield health benefits .
While it is prudent to consume added sugars in moderation , the reduction of these components of the diet without other reductions of caloric sources seems unlikely to achieve any meaningful benefit
Added sugars are a controversial and hotly debated topic .
Consumption of added sugars has been implicated in increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases including obesity , cardiovascular disease , diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) as well as cognitive decline and even some cancers .
Support for these putative associations has been challenged , however , on a variety of fronts .
The purpose of the current review is to summarize high impact evidence including systematic review s , meta-analyses , and r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) , in an attempt to provide an overview of current evidence related to added sugars and health considerations .
This paper is an extension of a symposium held at the Experimental Biology 2015 conference entitled " Sweeteners and Health : Current Underst and ings , Controversies , Recent Research Findings and Directions for Future Research " .
Effect of Eucaloric High- and Low-Sucrose Diets With Identical Macronutrient Profile on Insulin Resistance and Vascular Risk
The long-term impact of dietary carbohydrate type , in particular sucrose , on insulin resistance and the development of diabetes and atherosclerosis is not established . Current guidelines for the healthy population advise restriction of sucrose intake . We investigated the effect of high- versus low-sucrose diet ( 25 vs. 10 % , respectively , of total energy intake ) in 13 healthy subjects aged 33 ± 3 years ( mean ± SE ) , BMI 26.6 ± 0.9 kg/m2 , in a r and omized crossover design with sequential 6-week dietary interventions separated by a 4-week washout . Weight maintenance , eucaloric diets with identical macronutrient profiles and fiber content were design ed . All food was weighed and distributed . Insulin action was assessed using a two-step euglycemic clamp ;  glycemic profiles were assessed by the continuous glucose monitoring system and vascular compliance by pulse-wave analysis . There was no change in weight across the study . Peripheral glucose uptake and suppression of endogenous glucose production were similar after each diet . Glycemic profiles and measures of vascular compliance did not change . A rise in total and LDL cholesterol was observed . In this study , a high-sucrose intake as part of an eucaloric , weight-maintaining diet had no detrimental effect on insulin sensitivity , glycemic profiles , or measures of vascular compliance in healthy nondiabetic subjects
We conclude based on high quality evidence from r and omized controlled trials ( RCT ) , systematic review s and meta-analyses of cohort studies that singling out added sugars as unique culprits for metabolically based diseases such as obesity , diabetes and cardiovascular disease appears inconsistent with modern , high quality evidence and is very unlikely to yield health benefits .
While it is prudent to consume added sugars in moderation , the reduction of these components of the diet without other reductions of caloric sources seems unlikely to achieve any meaningful benefit
Added sugars are a controversial and hotly debated topic .
Consumption of added sugars has been implicated in increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases including obesity , cardiovascular disease , diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD ) as well as cognitive decline and even some cancers .
Support for these putative associations has been challenged , however , on a variety of fronts .
The purpose of the current review is to summarize high impact evidence including systematic review s , meta-analyses , and r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) , in an attempt to provide an overview of current evidence related to added sugars and health considerations .
This paper is an extension of a symposium held at the Experimental Biology 2015 conference entitled " Sweeteners and Health : Current Underst and ings , Controversies , Recent Research Findings and Directions for Future Research " .