Increased intake of added sugars linked to weight gain: Study

Washington, Increased consumption of added sugars could make you gain extra pounds, according to a study that followed Minnesota residents for 27 years.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota used data collected in the Minnesota Heart Survey, a surveillance study of adults aged 25 to 74 living in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

Dietary intake was evaluated by a 24-hour recall.

The survey that looked at diet, height and weight of the participants were conducted in 1980-82, 1985-87, 1990-92, 1995-97, 2000-02 and 2007-09.

There is limited data available looking at how added sugar intake is related to body mass index (BMI), said laead author Huifen Wang.

With the information provided, we examined the trends for body mass index and dietary intake of foods and beverages with added sugars across the six surveys, she said.

The researchers found that over 27 years, added sugars consumption increased among men and women and in all age groups.

As intake rose, so too did the average BMI of both men and women. When sugar consumption levelled off, BMI levelled off in women, but not in men.

They also found that across all survey years, women consumed less added sugars than men, while younger adults consumed more added sugars than older adults.

Added sugars consumption increased over 20 years. Although it declined slightly after 2000-02, the consumption of added sugars remained high among the Minnesota residents studied, said Wang.

Although other lifestyle factors should be considered as an explanation for the upward trend of BMI, public health efforts should advise limiting added sugar intake, she added.

Wang said strong scientific evidence was needed to determine whether added sugars intake was related to or promoted weight gain and other cardiovascular disease risk factors.

The study was recently presented at the Ame! rican He art Association''s meeting.