Summary

A review of clinical and experimental studies shows that the replacement of sucrose with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in beverages is not the cause of increased obesity in recent decades.

Introduction

The increase in overweight and obesity seen in recent years can be clearly linked to increased energy (calorie) intake. It has commonly been assumed that the observed increase in consumption of soft drinks is responsible, and, in turn, the sugar content of these drinks has been blamed. Since the 1970s high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been used as a sweetener instead of sucrose, and it's been suggested that HFCS itself is guilty of causing the obesity epidemic, or at least a part of it. The theory was that fructose bypasses food intake regulatory systems, and encourages the laying down of fat. In an editorial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition , Dr GH Anderson has reviewed recent nutritional studies done in this area.

Energy Intake in Recent Decades

Although the availability of sugars has increased in the food supply in the last 40 years, it has not increased disproportionately. From the 1970s to 2000 the increase in different food components has been as follows:

• Total energy 25%
• Sugars 22%
• Carbohydrates 26%
• Fats 48%

The switch from sucrose to HFCS started in the 1970s, and reached a plateau (at about 40% HFCS in the total of caloric sweeteners) by 1997. Since then the proportion of HFCS has not increased, yet average weights of the populace have continued to rise. So what is the role of HFCS? Is it merely a sweetener, or has it an additional effect on overall calorie intake?

Comparison of an HFCS Drink with a Sucrose Drink or Milk

A Dutch study reported in the same issue of the journal addresses this topic. ¹ It was designed to test the effects of HFCS and sucrose on the feeling of satiety, or fullness, in comparison with milk and a diet drink. Drink mixtures were prepared by using syrups added to commonly-used European beverages. The mixtures had the following calorie distribution:

Fifty minutes after the drinks were consumed a scale was used to let participants score their feeling of satiety, and measurements of food-intake regulators (insulin, glucose, glucagon-like peptide-1 and ghrelin) were made. The amount of food eaten at one hour was also measured.

No differences were seen in the changes in satiety scores or food-intake regulators between the 4 groups, nor was food intake one hour later different between the groups. The findings suggest that, in fact, all beverages are created equal.

Regular and Diet Sodas Precipitate the Metabolic Syndrome Equally

A study reported earlier this year (but not discussed in the Anderson review) has some relevance to the supposition that "all beverages are created equal". ² One or more soft drinks a day was linked to a 48% higher prevalence of the metabolic syndrome ³ than that seen in those who drank them infrequently. A surprise finding, however, was that both regular and diet soda appear to carry similar metabolic hazards; one would expect diet soda, with no calories and no sugar, to produce less frequent instances of the metabolic syndrome. Of course, this finding requires confirmation in other studies, but it is coherent with the concept that the composition of beverages is not relevant for energy intake control.

The Bottom Line

Dr Anderson concludes that the hypothesis that the replacement of sucrose with HFCS in sodas is a cause of increased obesity is not supported by experimental or clinical studies. For most individuals, energy imbalance continues to be due to energy intake exceeding energy expenditure. An attempt to redress this imbalance by focusing on one food, or one component of the food supply, is likely to be unsuccessful.

Source

Much ado about high-fructose corn syrup in beverages: the meat of the matter. Editorial.
GH. Anderson, Am J Clin Nutr , 2007, vol. 86, pp. 1577--1578

Links

• HFCS Facts
• Food Facts - HFCS
• "Drink More Diet Soda, Gain More Weight?"

Footnotes

1. Soenen S, Westertwerp-Plantenga MS. No difference in satiety or energy intake after high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or milk preloads. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:1586-1594

2. Dhingra R, Sullivan L, Jaques PF, et al. Soft drink consumption and risk of developing cardiometabolic risk factors and the metabolic syndrome in middle-aged adults in the community. Circulation 2007;116:480-488

3. The metabolic syndrome requires 3 of the following risk factors to be present: (a) Waist size over 40 inches in men or 35 inches in women. (b) Serum triglyceride level over 150 mg/dL. (c) Serum HDL ('good') cholesterol below 40 mg/dL in men, or 50 mg/dL in women. (d) Blood pressure over 130/85 mm Hg (either number), or being on blood pressure medication. (e) Fasting blood sugar over 110 mg/dL.