don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

The national trend to fat bodies is considered by many authorities the number one public-health hazard of the 21st century. Well, the century is young -- expect lots of scary hazards to come, but as threats go this one is worth taking seriously. Fat bodies could be up there with the best (or worst) of health risks -- particularly for the 64 percent of the population included in the statistic. Childhood obesity is a major cause of diabetes, and a wide range of other unpleasant conditions. Of course, I suppose thermonuclear war remains pretty serious, as well. All considered, fat America is pretty scary and something, lots of things, should be done about it. (This odd juxtaposition of sweets and bombs brings to mind Ogden Nash's famous line, "Candy is Dandy but Liquor is Quicker.")

One reason for the fattening of Americans, particularly YOUNG Americans, is that the population consumes large quantities of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) annually. Fructose is a monosaccharide that is roughly 75 percent sweeter than sucrose. It consists of hydrolyzed corn starch. A 12-ounce soda pop drink may consist of mostly water but the fructose syrup that gives it the good taste contains the same amount of calories as found in ten teaspoons of sugar. Not even a teenager would knowingly administer that much sugar into his/her bloodstream on a conscious basis. Fructose and fructose products are frequently substituted for sucrose in soft drinks. HFCS is great for the manufacturers. It retains moisture, resists drying out, controls crystallization, prevents microbiological growth and blends easily with sweeteners, acids, and flavorings. Best of all for manufacturers, it makes sugar drinks taste better and is cheaper than sugar. HFCS consists of 82 percent solids. It is 14 percent fructose, 43 percent dextrose, 31 percent disaccharides and the remaining 12 percent is "other" which means, basically, god-knows! Just kidding -- industry scientists know, even if consumers don't know or want to find out.

From the point of view of soda makers, HFCS is a revolutionary advance in food science. According to a recent Wall Street Journal column by Michael Waldholz (February 20, 2003), childhood weight gain in America might be caused in good measure by "the sweetening of America." When sugar is consumed in high quantities as "liquid candy" (HFCS in processed drinks and foods), unused amounts are stored as fat cells. If we were deprived of foods for long periods, these storage units would be adaptive or would be adaptive in an evolutionary sense. Yet, that's not the case in the 21st century! Instead of burning this energy, sedentary kids store more and more of it, and that's why they're getting fatter.

High fructose corn syrup production capacity grew to 11.4 million tons in 1999 from 7.8 million tons in 1994; consumption of HFCS rose to 9.2 million tons annually. Sugar and sweeteners represent 36 to 40 percent of a "steadily growing" U.S. per capita consumption of carbohydrates. The Center for Science in the Public Interest considers soda pop the symbol of what's wrong with the American diet.

Avoid this stuff and educate any kids you know to drink less soda pop. Tell them to look on the bright side, as well.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of nutrition. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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