The AHA put forth a very important statement that will serve as frame work to help Americans live more healthful lives. No debate that obesity and related diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome are plaguing our nation. The AHA's recommendation to strictly limit sugar as a means to improve our health misses the mark if we are trying to make a "dent" in our nation's health crisis. Blaming sugar for our ailments goes against a basic tenant that I emphasize to students at UC Davis -- obesity and related ailments have a multitude of causes. While the AHA's statement was not comprehensive, calorie burning in the form of regular physical activity is essential for cardiovascular health and weight control. The limit of 100 calories of added sugar for women and 150 for men is a drastic reduction and I can only guess will be confusing and frustrating for consumers. Health professionals have already recommended higher levels of added sugars as being permissible providing nutrient dense foods such as fruits and vegetables are part of a balanced diet (USDA Food Guide Pyramid.) Also, as I read your article above, many of the numbers for added sugar such as lemonade and coleslaw are off -- this illustrates some of the confusion around label reading and the excessive focus that will be placed on a single ingredient rather than the big picture: Total calories in must be lower/less than calories out for weight loss. We were wrong with the "low fat" craze. Let's not forget that calories count.
More importantly, will such a strict limit on sugar intake be achievable? And will such a reduction if accomplished result in a thinning of our nation? We are far from achieving our nutrient intake goals set forth with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. Rather than pushing one food (or ingredient) as the culprit, I suggest we focus on broad ways to assist consumers how to improve our nutrient intake while still eating foods in moderation with added sugars. We must also address our declining levels of physical activity which has dropped over the decades dramatically contributing to our steady adult weight gain of 1 to 2 pounds per year.
Liz Applegate, PhDof CA9:52PM August 24, 2009
*This wasn't news to most people. Those foods are all sweet. Obviously they're high in sugar. I'm surprised milk, or bagels weren't mentioned. 11 grams of sugar per 8oz of milk, and at least 7 grams of sugar in a plain bagel are a shock. A healthy small bowl of Kashi Cinnamon Harvest could easily set you back 20 grams of sugar.
Kiaraof MO9:13PM August 24, 2009
Between added salt and added sugar Americans are killing themselves and their children. It's self evident. Every health related organization, not to mention the the government should take up this mantra. It is an absurd societal dysfunction that has allowed diet to go so far off kilter.
Sugar substitutes are as bad. How did people live all through time until recently without added sugar or substitutes? I don't think that they suffered as a result. Neither will you if you give it up.
Lee Burtof FL9:05PM August 24, 2009
What a red herring!! 20 years ago, real sugar was used in foods and soft drinks and the "obesity problem" was not prevalent. Due to protectionist trade embargos, not enough suger was available for domestic food production. Good for the domestic sugar producers and bad for the american consumers. The then growing agri-conglomerates solution was HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), cheap and plentiful. This is the true culprit of our current obesity situation and nothing else! Prove me otherwise! Read the labels, except for flavored booze and fortune cookies every other food stuff is made with HFCS. HFCS is not made from sugar! HFCS is extracted from corn and it is processed to retrieve the fructose componant for industrial food use. Although it is fructose it is not nutritionally comparable to true cane suger. The real solution is to lift the sugar embargo so that cheap foreign sugar can replace HFCS in food production
Juan Rojasof AZ8:45PM August 24, 2009
*BRavo. Finally awakening. As a Senior citizen in last 20 years, look around at all the fat people. Almost everyone drinks pop and diet pop. They started adding high fructose corn syrup to almost everything and in all pop and diet pop. From teen agers to my age, all are over weight and this is one big factor. It is good that finally the American Heart Association is taking a stand In the past I found the AHA logo on Healthy Choice microwave foods that contained HFCS and I quit using the brand. Too bad they use alot of potassium. It is no wonder that medical costs are so high it is driving our country into debt and companies can not afford medical benefits to employees. As you well know, many develop diabetes2 result over weight and hard on knees and heart. so then Big Pharma sells them over-priced prescriptions drugs until they go bankrupt and so America declines. It is good that AHA is making a move. It is morally right to do so.
Eugene McDonaldof IN7:42PM August 24, 2009
I don't know what the definition used for one serving of ketchup was, but I saw 40 grams and knew that couldn't be right. A tablespoon of ketchup has ~4 grams of sugar.
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Liz Applegate, PhD of CA 9:52PM August 24, 2009
Kiara of MO 9:13PM August 24, 2009
Lee Burt of FL 9:05PM August 24, 2009
Juan Rojas of AZ 8:45PM August 24, 2009
Eugene McDonald of IN 7:42PM August 24, 2009
Richard of AR 7:14PM August 24, 2009