Current knowledge of the health effects of sugar intake

Twenty years ago, the common perception was that sugar intake was associated with several chronic diseases: Diabetes, coronary heart disease, obesity, and hyperactivity in children. Sugar was also thought to be the sole cause of dental caries. Recent advances in scientific knowledge, however, have shed some light on the role of sugar in chronic diseases and dental caries. The evidence indicates that sugar is not in itself associated with the aforementioned chronic diseases and is not the sole offender in the development of dental caries.

This research brief discusses current scientific knowledge of the health effects of sugar.