Do sugars cause weight gain?
[The following answer is from the IFIC, International Food Information Council Foundation, 1100 Connecticut Avenue, N. W. Suite 430, Washington, DC 20036. (reference in bibliography, Part 8)] Because sugars taste pleasant and humans are born with a preference for a sweet taste, scientists have speculated that eating sugars may lead to overeating and thereby obesity. [30] Research however, shows sugars do not interfere with bodily controls for energy balance, nor do they stimulate appetite in normal healthy adults or children. In review of the effects of sugars consumption on energy intake, Anderson concluded that sugars in amounts of 50 grams or more, given from 20-60 minutes before a meal, decrease the mealtime food intake in adults. [31] This indicates that adults maintain regulatory controls for energy intake when consuming sugars. Studies also indicate when children eat sucrose before meals, their mealtime intake decreases.
