Noncommunicable diseases, from cancer and lung disease to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, cause almost two-thirds of global deaths. This figure reflects high levels of alcohol consumption, tobacco use and sugar intake. While alcohol and tobacco consumption is regulated, the regulation of sugar intake remains a topic of debate.
In 2009, an estimated 158.5 million tons of sugar were produced worldwide. While production has decreased slightly with the global economic recession, consumption continues to increase. In 2003 an average individual consumed 142 pounds of sugar, 19 percent more than in 1970.
For people living in developed countries, the majority of sugar is consumed in a refined form. Refined cane and beet sugars, corn sweeteners and syrups do not contain the nutritional value of naturally occurring sugars in fresh fruits and vegetables. Americans, on average, consume more than 30 teaspoons a day of sweeteners, which accounts for almost one quarter of the recommended 2,000 calorie daily diet.
High-sugar diets such as these can cause obesity, which may lead to other chronic illnesses. Even individuals with healthy body-mass indexes, however, can suffer from metabolic illnesses caused by high-sugar diets. Just as individuals with high-sugar diets may not necessarily become obese, eating a low-sugar diet does not guarantee you will escape diabetes or heart disease.
What can the government do about it? Seemingly simple answers, such as using policy to regulate sugar consumption, are both impractical and ineffective because they ignore the root causes of the problem.
Socioeconomic issues obstruct policy-driven solutions to the problem of high-sugar diets. Low-income families are more likely to consume unhealthy or processed foods as they are less likely to have access to supermarkets and fresh produce. Processed sugar is cheap; Whole Foods is not.
Lack of awareness also prevents government regulation of sugar consumption. Informing the public about the side effects of sweeteners and sugar additives could encourage individuals to stop consuming them. It's kind of like putting a picture of a diseased lung on a box of cigarettes. Let's see if putting a clogged artery on a frozen pizza helps.
Officials have also considered other forms of regulation, such as taxation and age limits.
Officially, no one is promoting a Prohibition-like ban on sugar, but many are relying on the common sense and rationality of the American people when it comes to food choices and healthy eating.
Fiza Hashmi is the Health & Science editor. She can be reached at health@cavalierdaily.com.
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