The large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in food supplies may be contributing to the rising global epidemic of Type 2 diabetes and higher healthcare costs. A new study reports that countries that use HFCS have a 20% higher diabetes rate than countries that do not use it.
"HFCS appears to pose a serious public health problem on a global scale," said lead researcher Michael I. Goran, PhD. He said his study indicates that consuming HFCS may result in worse health consequences than eating natural sugar.
"Our metabolism has not evolved sufficiently to be able to process the fructose corn syrup in the quantities that some people are consuming it," said coauthor Stanley Ulijaszek, PhD. "Although this syrup can be found in many of our processed foods and drinks, this varies enormously from courtly to country."
The US has the highest consumption of HFCS at 55 pounds per person per year. People in many other counties—including Australia, China, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom—consume less than one pound per year.
