Sugar causing obesity?

Luvkenny

Luvkenny

Member
I would say that sugar is a huge factor in obesity. There is so much sugar in all processed foods. Kids are eating more processed foods these days too. I also think that video games are the cause of obesity too. Kids are not as active as they once were.
 
Anna T

Anna T

Member
Oh, it definitely plays a role. When I cut back on sugar, I always lose weight. And what's bad about it is how much hidden sugar is in everything. You eat things all the time that you may not even realize contain sugar!

Before you buy something at the store, always check the ingredients list. If sugar is the first thing listed or even close to the top, you probably want to put it back and find something else.
 
dissn_it

dissn_it

Member
I would have to agree that sugar is a major factor but I do think that there are also other factors involved as well. I am not so sure that I agree with the "diet and exercise don't work" part because I think that it is important to have a healthy diet and to get regualr exercise. I am shocked that there is an obesity epidemic in 6 month old babies!
 
artistry

artistry

Member
Someone once depicted the amount of sugar consumed, during one year by an average adult. It was a grocery shopping cart, filled with 5 pound bags of sugar, over the top of the cart. That is not what we should be putting into our bodies and I would think very excessive. Which may lead to many diseases
 
beyreNC

beyreNC

New Member
I wouldn't say "sugar" is the cause ... because there are various kinds of sugars. But I do know, from personal experience, that eating a lot of carbohydrates each day does pack on the weight ... including white rice, potatoes, breads etc. Since I had started watching my carb intake due to potential diabetes, my weight does drop when I have low-carb intake days.

It's well known that eating a lot of carbs (ie, bad sugars) actually makes you tired, fatigued, lethargic. And those sugars/carbs turn into fat pretty quickly.

Between all the processed/high carb foods out there ... kids AND adults spending most of their time sitting down (office jobs, school desks, computer games, talking on forums :eek:, etc) ... it's no wonder that a good chunk of America is obese. Kids don't spend hours outside playing like they used to 25+ years ago. I see adults using riding lawnmowers to mow a quarter acre of grass (whereas my hubby uses a push mower to mow nearly an acre each week). Hardly anyone walks to the store or just plain take walks around the neighborhood in the evenings and meet with neighbors. Just about everyone is glued to a TV or computer when not in school or at work.

Yes, I'm guilty of this myself. I do have a slight excuse ... I work from home ... so I'm always on the computer. I do pop up throughout the day to do various household chores. That keeps me from getting too stiff from sitting too long. I can't do much physical activity due to a damaged back and hip.

But when I do significantly reduce my carb intake, the weight does drop. It goes back to the companies packing our foods with unnecessary sugars in order to get us addicted and thus buy more and sooner ... greed. UGH!
 
Parker

Parker

Member
I would say that refined sugar plays a big role. There's a lot of hidden sugar in most processed foods. When I started reading food labels, I was shocked to discover how pervasive sugar and high fructose corn syrup really is.

I also think a sedentary lifestyle also plays a big part. Not many people walk or exercise anymore. Eight to nine hours at a job stuck behind a desk, a couple of hours sitting in commuter traffic adds up. Most people are physically and mentally exhausted to do much beside eating dinner and veg out in front of the television.
 
ssamcd

ssamcd

Member
Yes sugar has a major contribution to obesity. Children are drinking way too much pop and soda and candies. There diets are not how they use to be. Too much fast food. I am delighted to hear the government is taking steps to stop giving kids in school pop and removing the soda vending machines. Best thing they could do. I was at the hospital visiting a friend and in the neo-natal their was a baby born addicted to Coca-cola. The baby was going thru coca-cola withdrawals. Her mother did not sm0ke or drink alcohol but consumed so much Coke that the baby was addicted. Very sad story.
 
C

Carolynn

Member
Sugar and carbohydrates like potatoes, and white rice (that are broken down into sugar in your body) are definitely HUGE factors in the obesity epidemic, although I agree with Parker that a sedentary lifestyle plays a role in it too.
 
shaunche

shaunche

Member
ssamcd said:
Yes sugar has a major contribution to obesity. Children are drinking way too much pop and soda and candies. There diets are not how they use to be. Too much fast food. I am delighted to hear the government is taking steps to stop giving kids in school pop and removing the soda vending machines. Best thing they could do. I was at the hospital visiting a friend and in the neo-natal their was a baby born addicted to Coca-cola. The baby was going thru coca-cola withdrawals. Her mother did not sm0ke or drink alcohol but consumed so much Coke that the baby was addicted. Very sad story.
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You make a good point about the pop and soda. I read that a can of coke contains almost 50g of sugar, that is insane! Drinking a few cans of coke a day will have serious health implications in the long term, not to mention the damage it will do to their teeth.
 
S

SoftRain

Member
I'm sure sugar is a big culprit in obesity, which is depressing since I love sugar so much! While there are tons of sugar in soda and candy, it's also in things like Cheerios and tomato sauce, so people eat more of it than they think.

I'm skeptical of the 6 month obesity epidemic and the baby addicted to Coke. In the first case, babies gain weight in very different patterns and in the second, unless it was your friend's baby, how would you know it was addicted to Coke? It'd actually be caffeine, and in any case the nurses shouldn't be talking about it to random patients and visitors due to HIPAA.
 
thatgirl

thatgirl

New Member
It makes sense that sugar/carbs makes us fat. Think about how the invention of agriculture led to surplus calories for the first time in human history. I think Lustig may be a bit fanatical, but he makes good points about how our bodies haven't had time to adjust to such a massive change in our diet. Even 5,000 years isn't that long of a time when before then we were only hunter gatherers or herders.
 
P

Pat

Member
These are all good post, I think it is the lack of exercise and the sugar in the food that we are not aware of. We eat more packaged food now and do not really read the labels, all though the truth is not always there.
 
hunysukle

hunysukle

Member
Sugar is definitely a cause of obesity, but not the only. Our society is addicted to soda and other sweets, that's why obesity is such an issue. Sugar also damages and ages the body's cells, increasing free radicals that lead to diseases.
 
J

Ja'cobeC

Member
Sugar is a big part of it but not the main reason. People eat way to much food on a day to day basic. If not because they hungry, I has to do with a few things. So I disagree with him about sugar the main reason.
 
beckyv1265

beckyv1265

Member
Yes sugar is the main cause of obesity also lack of exercise. But its not the sugar but the over eating of sugar that is the problem. We tend to eat like we are all lumber jacks. I was thinking about the lumber jack speacial at my favorite breakfast joint. lol Now I am hungry.
 
misumaru15

misumaru15

Member
Sugar is one factor. Some people overload their bodies with this kind of food. You have to be mindful of what you put into your body. I also put the blame on the lack of exercise in kids and adults.
 
R

rosie

Member
I think that women's role in the workplace has led to more sugar being consumed for breakfast by kids. When I was growing up my mother didn't work and so we were forced to eat eggs or oatmeal once in a while. I perfectly understand why women work so I'm not making it their fault but I do know a lot of working mother's rely on 'eat in the car' kinds of breakfasts. Another reason is that kids spend more time playing games and on computers than playing kickball in the street.
 
Ankh

Ankh

Member
Sugar definitely causes obesity.
There is so much sugar in the market now.
And what is the deal what fruit snacks? Thats like pure sugar.
 
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