About Careers Internship MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Obesity Risk Increased by Common Sweetener

by Rajashri on October 17, 2008 at 2:20 PM
 Obesity Risk Increased by Common Sweetener

Eating too much of the common sweetener fructose increases the risk of leptin resistance, a condition that can lead to obesity when paired with a high-fat, high-calorie diet, experiments on rats have revealed.

Researchers at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville, who led the experiments, described leptin as a hormone that plays a role in helping the body to balance food intake with energy expenditure, and leptin resistance as a condition when the body stops responding to it.

Advertisement

They highlighted that fact that leptin resistance is associated with weight gain and obesity in the face of a high-fat, high-calorie diet.

Though fructose is found in fruit, the researchers say that the normal consumption of fruit is not problematic.

According to them, it is the consumption of table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, added to many foods these days, which is causing people to eat much more fructose than ever before.
Advertisement

For their study, the researchers fed two groups of rats the same diet over a period of six months, with one important exception: one group consumed a lot of fructose while the other received no fructose.

During the six months, there were no differences in food intake, body weight, and body fat between rats on the high-fructose and the rats on the fructose-free diets. There was also as no difference between the two groups in the levels of leptin, glucose, cholesterol or insulin found in their blood.

The only difference observed at the end of the six months was that the rats on the high-fructose diet had higher levels of triglycerides in their blood.

In order to find out whether the animals had become leptin resistant, the researchers injected them with the hormone: the rats whose leptin response was functioning normally would lower their food intake.

The team observed that the rats on the high-fructose diet had become leptin resistant, as they did not lower their food intake when given leptin.

This first six months of the study showed that leptin resistance can develop silently.

"Usually, leptin resistance is associated with obesity, but in this case, leptin resistance developed without obesity. This was very surprising," said Alexandra Shapiro, a member of the research team.

Further experiments showed that the leptin resistant rats ate more and gained much more weight and fat than the leptin responsive animals on the fructose-free diet.

"This study may explain how the global increase in fructose consumption is related to the current obesity epidemic," Shapiro said.

The researchers plan to study in their future research whether leptin resistance can be reversed by removing or reducing the fructose content of the diet.

Their latest findings have been published in the American Journal of Physiology.

Source: ANI
RAS/SK
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Obesity News

Pathbreaking Anti-Obesity Drug KDS2010 Helps Burn Fat Without Diet Restrictions
KDS2010 drug was found to regulate astrocytes in brain which enhances fat metabolism resulting in weight loss without the need for dietary restrictions.
Inflammation Impacts Weight Loss Post Bariatric Surgery
In obese patients undergoing weight-loss surgery, higher blood levels of inflammation are associated with poor weight loss post-surgery.
Coconut Oil Supplements Linked to Fuel Obesity
Coconut oil supplements over a long period of time may have a major impact on the metabolic changes in diet that can lead to obesity.
Anti-Obesity Drug Liraglutide Enhances Associative Learning
Intake of anti-obesity drug liraglutide, resulted in better brain activity and in-turn finer associative learning in obese individuals.
Nature's Anti-obesity Secret from China
Anti-obesity potential of a tropical plant emerges as a promising solution to address the global surge in obesity-related lifestyle diseases.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
MediBotMediBot
Greetings! How can I assist you?MediBot
×

Obesity Risk Increased by Common Sweetener Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests