A new study links the worldwide growth of type II diabetes and obesity to rising sugar consumption. In the midst of the obesity epidemic, did you know that many so-called "healthy" foods and snacks contain five times the amount of sugar found in a Krispy Kreme doughnut?
MarketWatch reports on the new research by the Credit Suisse Research Institute. In the report entitled "Sugar: Consumption at a Crossroads," 90 percent of doctors in the U.S., Europe and Asia surveyed believe that the sharp growth rate of type II diabetes and the obesity epidemic are "linked to excess sugar consumption."
"While medical research is yet to prove conclusively that sugar is the leading cause of obesity, diabetes type II and metabolic syndrome, the balance of recent medical research studies are coalescing around this conclusion," the researchers wrote.
"Although causality is difficult to prove in this area, with such a high percentage of doctors in our proprietary survey confident of this strong link, we cannot ignore the significance and the implications for society and our economy," Stefano Natella, Co-Head of Securities Research & Analytics and one of the study's authors, said to MarketWatch.
While a Krispy Kreme donught contains 10 grams of sugar, a variety of smoothies, juices, coffee drinks, flavored waters and even salads surprisingly contain around five times that amount, the Daily Mail reports. While the Credit Suisse report focused on artificial sweeteners, which researchers believe should be used in moderation, the Daily Mail pointed to a number of seemingly healthy options that also contain high amounts of sugar.
For instance, a 20oz bottle of Vitamin Water is, sugar-wise, the equivalent of 3.3 plain Krispy Kreme doughnuts, while an Odwalla Super Food 12oz smoothie contains a whopping 50 grams of sugar, the equivalent of five Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
Speaking of smoothies, Barry Popkin and George Bray, the researchers who uncovered the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup are calling smoothies and fruit juices "the new danger," as they often contain an unsuspecting amount of sugar, and can be just as fattening as soft drinks.
But even a salad can be extremely sugary, such as California Pizza Kitchen's Thai Chicken Salad, which contains the sugar equivalent of 4.5 Krispy Kremes and 45 grams of sugar.
"The scale and cost of the type II diabetes and obesity epidemic leaves little question as to the need for change. This change will bring new investment opportunities with winners and losers," Giles Keating, Head of Research for Private Banking and Wealth Management, said to MarketWatch. "This report provides investors with insight into an emerging megatrend that will help shape the evolution of the investment world."
