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J. R. LUPTON, Dept. of Nutrition & Food Science, Texas A&M Univ., 213 Kleberg Bldg., TAMU Mail Stop 2253, College Station, TX 77843-2253 The 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) evaluated the utility of the glycemic index, the overall health significance of glycemic response to carbohydrates, and the contribution of “added sugars” to human health. The Committee did not find the glycemic index to be a useful tool, primarily because it is only one factor among many describing the nutritional value of a food and may eclipse other values such as fat, fiber or energy content. The DGAC considered the relationship of glycemic response to be an important concept that should be followed in the future, but sufficient data do not currently exist to make diet/health recommendations based on glycemic response at this time. “Added sugar” received considerable attention in the DGAC report. Important findings were that high levels of added sugar in the diet are correlated with lower levels of micronutrient intake. An exception is found for sugars added to breakfast cereals and dairy products where the reverse is observed. Also, in the few published prospective cohort studies, there is a tendency for high consumers of “added sugars” (particularly as soft drinks) to gain weight over time compared to the low consumers. An important part of the DGAC report was the concept of “discretionary calories” – those calories required to meet energy needs minus those calories required to meet nutrient needs through diet. Meal pattern modeling, using the USDA database, showed a low level of “discretionary calories” for certain sex, age, and activity levels and based on these findings, the recommendation was to limit energy dense, nutrient poor foods when discretionary calories are limiting. This would include total fat, alcohol, and “added sugars.”
Session 14, The complexity of carbohydrates!
2005 IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20 - New Orleans, Louisiana |