Sugar composition promotes the development of civilization diseases

Obesity, Diabetes and Co: Sucrose composition promotes lifestyle diseases

It has long been known that high sugar intake leads to health problems such as obesity and diabetes. On the one hand, the high calorie content is responsible for this; However, scientific studies show that sucrose regardless of body weight due to its composition unfavorable influence on certain metabolic processes.

More and more Germans are too fat

In Germany more and more obese people live. Many children and adolescents are far too fat. Health experts repeatedly warn against underestimating the risks of being overweight. Obesity is the strongest risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes: About 80-90 percent of people in Germany with type 2 diabetes are also obese.

Sugary foods and drinks are often the cause of obesity and diabetes. This is not only the high calorie content responsible, but also the composition of sucrose. (Image: Sebastian Studio / fotolia.com)

Sugary diet promotes overweight and diabetes

Sugary foods and drinkable calorie bombs such as soft drinks are often the cause of obesity. They also promote type 2 diabetes.

On the one hand, the high calorie content is responsible for this, reports the German Diabetes Association (DDG) in a statement.

On the other hand, scientific evidence shows that sucrose, regardless of body weight due to its composition of fructose and glucose unfavorable influence certain metabolic processes: Thus, fructose stimulates the development of fatty liver.

In the small intestine, glucose releases the hormone GIP, which, among other things, is also responsible for the development of fatty liver and promotes insulin resistance.

Obesity is the most common chronic disease in childhood and adolescence

In Germany, two out of three men and one in two women are overweight, just under a quarter is even obese, so seriously overweight. 13 percent of children in Germany are overweight, over six percent are obese. That's more than twice as many as ten years ago.

According to the DDG, obesity has become the most common chronic illness in childhood and adolescence.

About ten percent of very adipose adolescents also have a glucose tolerance disorder. The association between the consumption of sugary drinks such as soft drinks and obesity and type 2 diabetes has been confirmed in studies.

"Even though the total calorie count plays the main role in the development of obesity, due to its composition, sugar contributes several times", says Professor Dr. med. med. Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer, Head of the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the German Institute for Nutritional Research (DIfE) Potsdam-Rehbrücke and Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition of the Charité Campus Benjamin Franklin / Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin.

Release of an appetizing hormone

Glucose releases the hormone glucose-induced insulinotropic peptide (GIP) from the so-called K-cells in the upper small intestine.

"Among other things, it causes the development of fatty liver and insulin resistance," explains Professor Pfeiffer.

"Because the GIP controls lipolysis on the one hand in fat tissue and ensures that less fat can be burned out of the stores after a meal. Furthermore, it controls the blood circulation in the intestine, so that the blood comes as effectively as possible with its nutrients to the storage organs and is not first deposited as glycogen in the liver.

In addition, GIP acts on the brain, where it increases the release of the appetite-stimulating hormone neuropeptide Y (NPY). In addition, GIP also causes increased inertia.

"The increase in weight with the onset of menopause in women also seems to be related to the hormone GIP," said Professor Pfeiffer.

Fructose is metabolised under high energy consumption

About half of fructose is extracted from the liver and metabolised under high energy consumption. Fructose is a direct stimulator of fat synthesis in the liver at a higher dose.

"This is also confirmed in epidemiological studies in which fatty liver is closely related to fructose consumption. In recently published studies on children, it could even be shown that a short-term restriction of fructose uptake leads to a rapid improvement in fatty liver, "explains Professor Pfeiffer.

In addition, fructose stimulates the formation of uric acid. "High levels of uric acid can cause gout and is associated with other metabolic disorders such as increased blood pressure and insulin resistance."

Thus, sugar in a special way promote various aspects of civilizational metabolic diseases. (Ad)