Brittany Witiak

Is High Fructose Corn Syrup to Blame for Obesity Rates in The U.S.?

Figure 1. High fructose corn syrup tablespoon equivalent in soda 

Joiner B. (2018) [Online Image] Retrieved from Flickr

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is one of those words that is thrown around a lot in the nutrition world, but has little impact on a general audience. This is due to the lack of understanding on the issue. In fact, if you are unaware of what exactly HFCS is, then you are probably not aware of its presence in the majority of the foods your are eating.

So, what exactly is HFCS?

High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener that is made from corn starch, and shares a similar chemical composition to table sugar. It is commercially very cheap, especially in the US which is why it is frequently added to foods, some you may even think are healthy. For example, most of you may be unware that HFCS is hiding in many of your favorite snacks, drinks, and condiments. These include soda, most candies, sweetened yogurt, breads, canned fruits and vegetables, salad dressings, granola bars, coffee creamer, energy drinks, cereals and much more. 

 The presence of high fructose corn syrup has increased exponentially over the past several years. Since 1970, the consumption of HFCS in the American diet has increased >1000%. In relation to that statistic, the rates of obesity of have also continued to increase in the U.S. with 1 in 3 adults considered obese, and 2 in 3 adults considered overweight. Is it a coincidence that as the consumption rates of HFCS increase exponentially, the rates of obesity also continue to increase significantly?

A study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, observed the correlation between high fructose corn syrup consumption and obesity trends between the years 1967 to 2000. The results showed that the HFCS consumption seemed to mirror the rapid increase in obesity in the United States. Additionally, the results stated that more than 40% of the caloric sweeteners added to food and beverages come from HFCS, and it’s the only added sweetener for soft drinks in the U.S. The additional calories consumed from these added sweeteners is estimated at 318 calories per day, just coming from HFCS. It is generally understood that if you consume more calories than you expend, then you are likely to gain weight. That is why diet and exercise are crucial for preventing obesity. When you consume extra calories from liquids like sweetened sodas, then you are packing on additional unnecessary calories that may be contributing to your weight gain. However, the added calories may not be the only way HFCS is contributing to obesity.

High fructose corn syrup has a unique effect on the body’s physiological response that may hinder weight loss attempts. This specifically involves the chemical breakdown when HFCS is ingested in the body. HFCS is made by an enzymatically converting glucose to fructose with a 55% fructose composition. Sucrose, a simple sugar commonly referred to as table sugar, was the primary source of added sweetener prior to the development of commercially cheap corn-based syrups. Fructose is much different to sucrose, especially in the way our body digests, absorbs, and metabolizes it.

 Insulin and leptin are the two most important chemical factors when it comes to weight management. Insulin is the hormonal signal your body sends when it wants to gain weight or increase your body’s set weight. Therefore, when your body increases its insulin production, your appetite will also increase because your body wants to eat more to gain the weight, thus leading to a heavier individual. Even if you are restricting calories while your body is producing more insulin, the body will react by slowing down your metabolism because it wants to gain weight. HFCS spikes your insulin response which is why it is a big contributor to weight gain. By increasing your insulin production, your body is reacting by thinking it needs to gain weight, hence becoming overweight with prolonged ingestion of HFCS. Similarly, leptin is also a regulator of weight management. When you consume food your body is slowly releasing leptin signals which tell the body when it is full. If you decrease leptin production then your body will be unable to recognize when it is “full” or when you should stop eating. High fructose corn syrup is notorious for its effects on leptin production. When HFCS is ingested, the leptin concentrations in the body decrease which stops the body from recognizing when it has had enough to eat, thus you continue to eat feeling unsatisfied adding more calories and increasing weight.  

As you can see, high fructose corn syrup does nothing but damage when added to your diet. The scariest part is that it is hidden in most of our favorite foods and drinks! HFCS is an added sweetener that adds extra calories, and changes the chemical responses in our body leaving it heavier and unsatisfied. Obesity is a global epidemic, with rates increasing every day. It is no coincidence that our consumption of HFCS is also increasing exponentially. By educating the public on these adverse effects, people can start to become of aware of what they are consuming. By reading labels and removing HFCS from our diets, we can stop this exponential trend and help our country reduce its rates of obesity.

References

George A Bray, Samara Joy Nielsen, Barry M Popkin, Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 79, Issue 4, April 2004, Pages 537–543, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/79.4.537

Joiner B. (2018) [Online Image] Retrieved from Flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/calorieworkouts/46369708932/in/photolist-2dDwSYd-D5qdYK-JPM1G-5Zun7c-7iXPct-qhKoEJ-5KqmfR-7XtrX3-zexee-ao265g-7S2aFg-pCjrdJ-qhL5pq-5sJB8x-nRVnEp-8FP826-7xDdyK-QSrDaQ-8foewt-8Ly3Um-bqsZmc-BPSsJQ-8LL59D-8LB7Yf-8MhrGT-8g8w4c-at6iVJ-ejo4qL-8Y1qYy-qnwZVQ-9wP6q7-p2d2-nb4NSo-axk6i4-g4199T-aaQAdb-q5E9ch-TjBdTT-7dz4HH-b5kpAF-76E13z-uy2HZ-26jJZ4f-9bpp2L-8N7fnw-7Sb3bC-85JqSf-dD3kDN-aEKWAS-7N5tuX