The Edible Schoolyard Continues to Grow Nov/Dec 2004 High Fructose Nation Sept/Oct 2004 Viva Las Vegas! July/August 2004 Experiments Vs Experience V.1 - A Review March/April 2004 A Day in the Life Jan/Feb 2004 The Skinny on Dietary Fats Jan/Feb 2004 The Basics of Eating Right April 2003 Vegetarian Bodybuilding Jan/Feb 2003 Fitness Water: Fountain of Youth? Nov/Dec 2002 Glutamine: Conditionally Essential? Jan/Feb 2003 Thermogenic Aids March 2003 Flaxing Your Muscles August 2003

By Kristin Reisinger, MS RD [Originally published in the ISSN Newsletter June 2004] With the rise of obesity in our nation is the evolving discussion of its leading causes. Genetics, prevalence of fast food, increased portions, decreased activity, Sony Playstationª and too much television remain the leading culprits. But with the New Year and our country's collective addiction to American Idol came a new possible contributor to our epidemic - high-fructose corn syrup. High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) was introduced into our food supply around 1970, is a hidden ingredient in more foods than you can possibly fathom and makes up >40% of caloric sweeteners added to foods and soft drinks. It is estimated that 132-316kcal/d are ingested from high-fructose corn syrup in those over two years of age and this increase in consumption is paralleling the rise in obesity. But why is there such a prevalence in the use of HFCS? It is cheap to produce, thus, much more cost effective for manufacturers to use in products versus sucrose. Starch in corn is converted from glucose to fructose to make HFCS and the end result is anywhere from 1.16 to 1.28 times sweeter than sucrose, a disaccharide comprising a 50:50 mixture of glucose and fructose. Because there is an increase in consumption of processed foods such as baked items, canned fruits, jams, Twinkiesª, carbonated beverages and hundreds of other items, there is little wonder that the consumption of HFCS has increased and that this item is being victimized for its possible relationship with obesity. But one might wonder how replacing sucrose with HFCS might facilitate the development of obesity. Some have suggested that it is linked to the fact that the metabolism of fructose differs from that of glucose and is a stronger potentiator for fat production when ingested in large quantities. This argument is also supported by the fact that fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion, therefore does not stimulate leptin secretion, a key hormone in the regulation of hunger and food intake. Other arguments include that obesity is a result of the over-consumption of soft drinks which derive 100% of their sweetener from HFCS, thereby singling out the product. It seems to me, however, that in a nation with a food supply such as ours, it is hard to find one solid reason for why obesity has reached such epidemic proportions. Over-consumption is definitely a contributor but not necessarily just of HFCS. We over-consume calories, saturated fat, trans-fats, sugar and yes - high-fructose corn syrup. We have become a lazier country, we probably do watch too much television, eat too much and exercise too little. And I'm sure HFCS is not good for us either. But it is another key ingredient in our recipe for rising obesity, not the sole cause. References Putnam JJ, Allshouse JE. Food consumption, prices and expenditures, 1970-97. US Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service statistical bulletin no. 965, April 1999. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office, 1999. Bray GA, Nielsen SJ and Popkin BM. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:537-43. Krause MV, Mahan LK. Food, nutrition and diet therapy. 7th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company, 1984. Kristin Reisinger, MS RD, is a New York City-based nutritional consultant, fitness trainer, freelance health + fitness writer and musician. She holds a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology + Nutrition from Columbia University and is a Registered Dietitian through American Dietetic Association. She is also a competitive figure athlete, former Galaxy competitor, avid snowboarder, rock climber and surfer. She has been competing for over five years and will continue to do so until she is 80. She can be contacted at kristin@kristinreisinger.com.