HFCS & Obesity Myths - Expert Opinions
Kris Clark, Ph.D., R.D., F.A.C.S.M., Assistant Professor and Director of Sports Nutrition, The Pennsylvania State University, talks about myths associated with high fructose corn syrup and obesity.
Experts Respond
Many qualified experts have weighed in on the questions surrounding high fructose corn syrup.
Experts and Obesity
Experts reviewed the research and concluded that there is not enough evidence to implicate high fructose corn syrup as a unique cause of obesity.
All Calories Count
A downloadable PDF of calorie consumption information is also available.
High fructose corn syrup has been erroneously blamed for uniquely contributing to the rise in obesity in the United States. This overly simplistic view ignores peer-reviewed research that demonstrates that high fructose corn syrup and table sugar are metabolized similarly by the body and that each sweetener contributes an equal number of calories to the diet: four per gram.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data show that per capita consumption of sugar has always exceeded the per capita consumption of high fructose corn syrup.1 In fact, consumption of this corn sweetener has declined since its peak in 1999. According to USDA estimates, annual per capita consumption of high fructose corn syrup for 2008 was 37.8 pounds.2 The 2008 sugar consumption estimate was over 9 pounds greater at 47.2 pounds per person.3
It is especially important to understand that Americans are consuming more calories from all types of foods today than what was consumed 30 years ago. And we expend less energy to burn the extra calories. Consider the numbers reported in the February 2009 Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data by the USDA. Total caloric intake on a per capita basis for Americans increased from 2,172 calories per day in 1970 to 2,775 calories per day in 2007 – an additional 603 calories.4
Where are all these calories coming from? Major contributors to this 603-calorie increase include 299 calories from added fats and 194 calories from flour and cereal products. Added sugars account for 57 calories of the daily increase.
1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2009. Table 50—U.S. per capita caloric sweeteners estimated deliveries for domestic food and beverage use, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook.
2. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2009. Table 52—High fructose corn syrup: estimated number of per capita calories consumed daily, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook.
3. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2009. Table 51—Refined cane and beet sugar: estimated number of per capita calories consumed daily, by calendar year. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook.
4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. 2009. Calories: average daily per capita calories from the U.S. food supply, adjusted for spoilage and other waste. Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data.