At least it didn't refer to it as an "epidemic", which is a pet peeve of mine. I think "epidemic" should be confined to contagious diseases and/or things which are analogous to contagious diseases.

Anyway, I wonder how this is measured. How the hell do we know how much fat and sugar are being consumed? Even if we know how much is being produced there has to be a certain percentage which is wasted.

Public health officials and researchers get funding for epidemics, therefore if you want funding you better start calling whatever it is you're researching an epidemic.

I was wondering whether the sugar number included things like high-fructose corn syrup and the like and indeed it does. From the source "All forms of sugar and sweeteners, expressed in kilograms per capita per year."

Just watch the sugar and everything else should pretty much be fine.

Very long and very interesting video about the effects of fructose on the human body by a pediatric endocrinologist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

I'm normally not inclined to believe such wacky tales but this seems to have a high science to bullshit ratio.

Note the latest PR attempt by HFCS manufacturers to re-brand it as Corn Sugar. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100914/ap_on_bi_ge/us_corn_syru... Clever, since if it reads 'sugar' on the label it's easier to be overlooked.

agreed. fat tends to get a bad rap because processed high sugar foods tend to also be high in fat (or be eaten with high fat foods...see: Mcdonald's french fries and Coca-Cola).

Two weeks ago I gave up all forms of sugary drinks and cut down my calorie intake to under 2000 a day.

It's amazing how much better I feel.

I watch sugar and flour. It's junk carbs that "obese" you.