30 Seconds SummaryThe Role of Sugar in Cardiometabolic Disease
- Meta-analyses show conflicting results: some suggest replacing saturated fat with carbohydrates does not reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, partly due to poor differentiation in carbohydrate types studied.
- Different carbohydrate types have different effects on CVD risk: wholegrain carbohydrates decrease risk, while refined sugars either do not change or increase risk.
- Sugar influences cardiometabolic disease by affecting lipoprotein metabolism and increasing risk factors like triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and leading to fatty liver and insulin resistance.
- High intake of free sugars can result in elevated triglycerides in both the fasting and post-meal states, contributing to increased CVD risk.
- Studies on sugar often use unrealistic high doses which may not represent typical daily intake, making their relevance to general diet recommendations questionable.
- Dietary sugars contribute to cardiometabolic risks mainly through increasing total caloric intake, thereby promoting weight gain.
- The effect of sugars in diet needs to be considered in the context of overall energy density and dietary pattern, rather than focusing on a single nutrient hypothesis.
- Public health focus should shift towards reducing overall dietary energy density to manage obesity and related cardiometabolic diseases.
Biolayne
Alan Flanagan
