The July 9 “Roamin’ numerals” column by Jeff Lyon in the Tribune Magazine unfortunately mischaracterizes high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) by suggesting that it is a unique contributor to obesity.
The November/December 2005 issue of Nutrition Today includes a report from the Center for Food, Nutrition and Agriculture Policy and its Ceres Workshop, which was compiled by scientists who reviewed a number of critical commentaries about HFCS. Their analysis found that HFCS is not a unique contributor to obesity. Additionally Dr. Walter Willett, the Harvard School of Public Health Nutrition Department chairman, recently told The New York Times, “There’s no substantial evidence to support the idea that high-fructose corn syrup is somehow responsible for obesity.”
Many parts of the world have rising rates of obesity and diabetes despite having little or no HFCS in their foods and beverages. According to the World Health Organization, throughout the world there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese. The WHO cites the main reasons as increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars as well as reduced physical activity. In fact U.S. Department of Agriculture data show that per capita consumption of HFCS has been declining in recent years, yet the incidence of obesity and diabetes in the U.S. remains on the rise.
As a safe, natural, nutritive sweetener, HFCS can be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
