The experts also found that there is no proof that sugar causes hyperactivity in children. Expert Consultation on Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition, held from 14 to 18 April in Rome, brought together nutritionists, physicians and biochemists from thirteen countries. They examined decades of research findings on carbohydrates, the world's single most important source of food energy. Carbohydrates include cereals and sugar crops, followed by root crops, fruits, vegetables, pulses and milk products. These foods are an important vehicle for protein, micronutrients and other food components that have important benefits for health.
Much controversy surrounds the extent to which sugars and starch promote obesity.
The consultation found no direct evidence to implicate either of these groups of carbohydrates among the factors leading to obesity, based on data derived from studies in affluent societies. In fact, excess food energy consumption in any form will promote body fat accumulation if intake is not matched by energy expenditure. Neither have sucrose and other sugars been directly implicated in the factors leading to adult-onset diabetes. The consultation recommendations concerning carbohydrate intake and diabetes related primarily to the avoidance of all energy-dense foods in order to reduce obesity. The experts concluded that there was also no evidence for a causal role of sucrose in the factors leading to coronary heart disease.