In medical circles, the idea that sugar increases the risk of diabetes is considered to be an old wives tale. However, recent studies bring not just sugar, but all high glycemic index (GI) and high glycemic load (GL) foods into question. Two studies from last year showed that women with the highest intakes of high carb-containing foods (high GI and high GL) had the greatest risk of becoming diabetic.

One studied looked at all high GI and GL foods and found the highest intakes of these foods were associated with the greatest risks of becoming diabetic. Sugary foods weren’t evaluated separately, but just as part of the overall diet. While cereal is primarily a high GI food, this study showed that a diet high in cereal fiber lowered the risk of diabetes.¹ (This makes sense, because fiber slows the release of sugars into the blood stream.)

Another study of Chinese women found that those who ate the most rice had a 78% increased risk of diabetes compared to those who ate the least.²

Higher sugar intake leads to higher hemoglobin A1c levels (a measure of blood sugar levels over time) and is correlated with increased risk of heart disease.³ But interestingly, when sugar is evaluated separately from a person’s total carb intake, the studies have not correlated it directly with diabetes.

But hold on — because while sugar itself hasn’t been directly linked to increased diabetes risk, sugar-sweetened beverages like soft drinks and fruit punch have been.⁴ They’ve also been linked with increased risk of becoming overweight or obese.⁵

We know that the more weight we gain, the more insulin resistant we start to become — which does lead to diabetes. But we still can’t say that high sugar intake increases risk of diabetes? At what point does this start to get ridiculous?

Here is what we know:

1. Higher intake of high GI and high GL foods increases risk of diabetes.

2. Higher intake of sugar-sweetened drinks increases risk of diabetes.

3. Higher intake of sugar increases risk of heart disease.

Whether the path is direct or not, I think it’s plain to see that eating too much sugar — or any high carb food or drink for that matter — increases our risk of diabetes and heart disease.

If you need more reasons than that to reduce your sugar intake, you should also know that eating diets high in sugar has been linked with increased risk of gout,⁶ Alzheimer’s disease,⁷ as well as cataracts⁸ and macular degeneration.

Enough said? I think so.

References

1. Krishnan S, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(21):2304-2309.
2. Villegas R, et al. Arch Intern Med. 2007;167(21):2310-2316.
3. Selvin E, et al. Arch Int Med 165:1910-1916.
4. Schulze M, et al. JAMA. 2004;292:927-934.
5. Reilly, J.J., et al. Br Med J 2005; 330: 1357; www.bmj.com.
6. Online first issue of the Br Med J, February 1, 2008.
7. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-and-alzheimers/AZ00050 accessed July 21st, 2008.
8. Mitchell P, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007;85:1502-1508.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more click here.]