HFCS Being Unfairly Blamed as Cause of Obesity, According to New
Report (7-19-04)
A Virginia Tech report released last week says high fructose corn
syrup (HFCS) is being unfairly blamed as a leading contributor
to obesity in the United States. National Corn Growers Association
(NCGA) CEO Rick Tolman said the Virginia Tech research convincingly
discredits a study published earlier this year in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition that asserted HFCS is partially responsible
for the marked increase in U.S. obesity rates.
“This new report confirms what we’ve been saying all
along – the obesity problem is due to poor dietary habits
and a lack of exercise,” Tolman said. “Statistics show
that U.S. consumers are eating more and exercising less. To single
out one ingredient as the cause of obesity is absurd.”
Presenting the findings of their research to the Institute of
Food Technologists convention in Las Vegas, the Virginia Tech researchers
said HFCS is no worse for the human body than any other sweetener.
Previous studies have mistakenly evaluated the sugars that comprise
HFCS in a dry state, rather than in the liquid form, according
to the Virginia Tech report. Most of those flawed studies concluded
that HFCS is sweeter than sugar, despite the fact that HFCS has
the same levels of sweetness as regular table sugar.
“There is simply no credible scientific evidence that HFCS
is the cause of rising overweight and obesity rates,” said
Maureen Storey, director of the Virginia Tech’s Center for
Food and Nutrition Policy. “Overweight and obesity is a serious
worldwide health problem and better research is needed to effectively
prevent unhealthy weight gain. Unfortunately, recent published
commentaries and studies on HFCS have only confused the issue and
misinformed the public with regard to a key public health problem.”
Storey said the body breaks HFCS down into the same simple sugars
as table sugar, contrary to the assertions of previous studies.
She said much of the available research on HFCS is erroneous because
it analyzes fructose or corn syrup rather than the specific composition
of HFCS.
Popular media reports have helped to perpetuate the myth that
HFCS and farm support programs are precipitating causes of obesity.
Continued circulation of this misinformation could have a negative
effect on public policy, Storey said.
“Commentaries that suggest HFCS is a unique contributor to obesity
are doing a disservice, especially from a public policy perspective,” she
said. “There are already too few resources available to address
the [obesity] issue, and we cannot afford to divert public policy
attention toward agenda-driven theories that are unsound scientifically.”
Tolman said
a recent statement by the American Dietetic Association (ADA)
uses sound science to sum up the obesity debate. According
to the ADA, “Excess body fat (obesity) arises from the energy
imbalance caused by taking in too much energy and using too little.
Obesity is a complex problem and its cause cannot be simply attributed
to any one component of the food supply.”
To view an executive
summary of the Virginia Tech report, click here.