Added Sugar, Subtracted Science

Sugar. We think of it as a sweet treat, but it hides in everything from barbecue sauce to yogurt to salad dressing, added to foods before they ever reach our plates.

Scientific evidence has shown that overconsumption of added sugar has serious health consequences: heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension have all been linked to high consumption of added sugar. And yet people in the United States continue to consume large amounts of hidden sugar every day, and our food policies do not reflect the scientific evidence on this health risk.

A major factor that has kept us in the dark about sugar’s detrimental impacts is the role that industry has played in keeping it that way. Sugar interests—food and beverage manufacturers along with industry-supported organizations such as trade associations, front groups, and public relations firms—have actively sought to ensure our consumption of high levels of sugar continues.