Added Sugars Add To Diagnoses Of Diabetes
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It is well known that most processed foods contain high levels of added sugars and fructose. You may be surprised that guidelines from the Institute of Medicine allow for up to 25% of total daily calories to come from added sugars.
But, we also know that added sugars such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup have been associated with the development of type 2 diabetes and other metabolic disorders that can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In our country, one in 11 people have type 2 diabetes. Worldwide, the number of individuals diagnosed with the condition has more than doubled in recent years, from 153 million people back in 1980 to over 350 million.
It does not end there - another 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes where their blood sugar levels are higher than they should be.