Food and nutrition.pdf

SugarDiabetesDiabetes, a disease that causes the body to metabolize sugar poorly,occurs when either:• The body attacks the cells produc~ng insulin, the chemical thatallows the metabolizing of sugar in the body's cells (Type 1diabetes)• The body's cells ignore insulin (Type 2 diabetes)When glucose builds up in the bloodstream, it can cause twoproblems:• In the short term, cells become starved for energy because theydo not have access to the glucose• In the long term, frequent glucose build-up increases the acidityof the blood, damaging many of the body's organs, includingthe eyes, kidneys, nerves and/or heartAuthorities advise diabetics to avoid sugar-rich foods to preventadverse reactions.Obesitya scientific/health debate has started over the causes of a steep rise inobesity in the general population - and one view posits increasedconsumption of carbohydrates in recent[update] decades as a major factor.Obesity can result from a number of fadors including:• An increased intake of energy-dense foods - high in fat andsugars but low in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients(see United Nations advice below); and• Decreased physical activity. The National Health and NutritionExamination Survey I and Continuous indicates that thepopulation in the United States has increased its proportion ofenergy consumption from carbohydrates and decreased itsproportion from total fat while obesity has increased. Thisimplies, along with the United Nations report cited below, thatobesity may correlate better with sugar consumption than withfat consumption, and that reducing fat consumption whileincreasing sugar consumption actually increases the level ofobesityGoutResearchers have implicated sugary drinks high in fructose in a surgein cases of the painful joint disease goutCancerA link between sugar and cancer has been conjectured for some time225