Eating Sweets Does Not Increase Obesity or CVD Risks

Individuals who ate sweets at least every other day were no more likely to gain excess weight and did not have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who consumed sweets once a week or less, according to the US National Cancer Institute’s analysis of NHANES 05-06 data. Sweets contributed an estimated 44 calories per day, or only about 2% of the total caloric intake of an average adult. In addition, it accounted for slightly more than one teaspoon of added sugars, of about 5g, in the diets of adults on a daily basis, which corresponds to a fraction of the 100 to 150 calorie upper limit of added sugars recommended by the American Heart Association. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the study was supported by The National Confectioners Association. Nutrition Journal, May 2013