Teen hearts are at risk when this one factor plays a large part in their diets

Remember those high fructose corn syrup ads that were on TV a few months ago?

They were the ones where one person (portrayed as simple and slow-witted) would say something negative about high fructose syrup, and then someone else (portrayed as savvy and thoughtful) would condescendingly explain why HFCS is actually wonderful stuff.

I miss those ads. I was hoping that at some point someone would try to step into the savvy/thoughtful role and try to school me on the finer points of HFCS bliss.

Oh, that would have made my day.

And today would have been a perfect day for it because I just came across a new HFCS study that provides a crowning touch to the avoid-this-junk-at-all-costs argument.

Researchers from the medical school at Georgia Health Sciences University analyzed HFCS consumption, dietary history, and body fat measurements of more than 550 teenagers.

Results were devastating.

HFCS consumption was linked with higher fasting glucose, higher insulin resistance, higher blood pressure, and higher inflammatory markers for heart disease. Kids with the highest HFCS intake also had lower levels of heart protection, such as HDL cholesterol.

All of these conditions were more pronounced in kids with visceral adiposity — a buildup of belly fat.

I was happy to see that the GHSU press release contained no suggestion of treating those kids with statin drugs, BP drugs, or ANY drugs. Just some down-to-earth advice about getting regular physical activity and consuming healthy foods and drinks — free of HFCS-laden products, of course.

That’s excellent advice for teens, pre-teens and for us post-teens too.

Sources:
“High fructose consumption by adolescents may put them at cardiovascular risk” Georgia Health Sciences University Press Release, 1/24/12, eurekalert.org