Sugar consumption among adolescents has nearly doubled since the 1970s. Image courtesy of e³°°°.
Early signs of heart disease are reaching kids at younger ages every year. A new study published by the American Heart Association's journal, Circulation, suggests that added sugars may be the reason.
The study examined data from almost 2,500 adolescents ages 12 to 18 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Dietary questionnaires were used to divide the participants into 6 groups based on the percentage of calories from added sugar.
There were no differences in the amount of added sugar consumed among any demographic factors including age, gender, ethnicity, income or education level. Likewise, there were no differences between the amount of added sugars and physical activity or total calories. Higher sugar intake was therefore associated with less protein and, notably, less fat consumption.