Sweeteners, trans fat creating 'toxic food environment'
While decades ago, overweight and obese children were likely on the road to ill health, they rarely developed type 2 diabetes. While this type of diabetes used to be called adult onset, nowadays, the incidence of this type of diabetes is on the rise in young people and it may be that certain components of their diets are contributing to this frightening scenario.
Trans fats, produced when liquid oils are hardened through the process of hydrogenation, are well known for their impact on heart health. These fats, found in a variety of snack foods, baked goods and fast food, boost artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol levels and reduce levels of the beneficial HDL-cholesterol. At the same time, they may increase inflammation in arteries, making them more susceptible to fatty deposits and plaque buildup. But the link between trans fats and the development of insulin resistance, where the body's sensitivity to the action of insulin in regulating blood-sugar levels is diminished, is noteworthy, especially when you think of kids and type 2 diabetes, a disease that can follow from the development of insulin resistance.
[...]
Then, there is the issue of soft drinks and the sweeteners used in their production. According to research, all sugars are not created equal. In fact, in a Finnish study published in the June 2007 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, scientists assessed the role of intakes of different sugars in the development of type 2 diabetes in more than 4,300 subjects who were initially free of diabetes at the start of the study. After a 12-year follow-up, the combined intake of fructose and glucose was associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes, but no significant association was observed for intakes of other sugars such as sucrose (i.e. table sugar), lactose or maltose.
While decades ago, overweight and obese children were likely on the road to ill health, they rarely developed type 2 diabetes. While this type of diabetes used to be called adult onset, nowadays, the incidence of this type of diabetes is on the rise in young people and it may be that certain components of their diets are contributing to this frightening scenario.
Trans fats, produced when liquid oils are hardened through the process of hydrogenation, are well known for their impact on heart health. These fats, found in a variety of snack foods, baked goods and fast food, boost artery-clogging LDL-cholesterol levels and reduce levels of the beneficial HDL-cholesterol. At the same time, they may increase inflammation in arteries, making them more susceptible to fatty deposits and plaque buildup. But the link between trans fats and the development of insulin resistance, where the body's sensitivity to the action of insulin in regulating blood-sugar levels is diminished, is noteworthy, especially when you think of kids and type 2 diabetes, a disease that can follow from the development of insulin resistance.
[...]
Then, there is the issue of soft drinks and the sweeteners used in their production. According to research, all sugars are not created equal. In fact, in a Finnish study published in the June 2007 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, scientists assessed the role of intakes of different sugars in the development of type 2 diabetes in more than 4,300 subjects who were initially free of diabetes at the start of the study. After a 12-year follow-up, the combined intake of fructose and glucose was associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes, but no significant association was observed for intakes of other sugars such as sucrose (i.e. table sugar), lactose or maltose.
Comments