S CO U MEN’S HEALTH 79
but it’s not the solution,” says the PHE
spokesperson. “We live in an obesogenic
environment. Sugar is cheap and
accessible, so [the focus should be on]
tackling our environment and making
sure healthy options are available.”
Plowman disagrees. “Becoming
educated about – and taking responsibility
for – our nutrition is the only way to
improve our health,” he says. “Ultimately
it comes down to making a choice to
be healthier. We all know sugar is bad,
and once there is less of a demand for
sugary foods as a result of us properly
understanding their impact, there won’t
be the same scope for the industry to
continue in the same vein.”
On its Good Food website, the NHS has
this to say on the topic: “In recent years,
the popular media has turned the debate
about the causes of major public health
issues such as heart disease, diabetes and
obesity into something of a ‘fat versus
sugar’ dogfight.” But with mortality
rates continuing to rise and experts such
as Harcombe concerned that treating
diabetes could bankrupt the NHS, a fight
against sugar is exactly what is needed.THE HONEY TRAP
The Sugar Papers revelation is just the
first step in combating ongoing industry
corruption. In 2015 the New York Times
reported that studies funded by Coca-
Cola, Pepsi Co and other large soft drinks
producers were five times more likely
to find no link between sugary drinks
and weight gain than studies whose
authors reported no financial conflicts.
Meanwhile, last July the Corporate Europe
Observatory watchdog calculated that the
key companies behind sugary food and
drinks spend a combined £18m annually
on aggressive lobbying in the EU.
Katherine Ainger, who co-authored
the CEO report, says this: “Sound
scientific advice is being sidelined by
the millions of pounds backing the sugar
lobby. In its dishonesty and its disregard
for people’s health, the food and drink
industry rivals the tactics we’ve seen
from the tobacco lobby for decades.”
It’s perhaps this disregard for your
health that is the most cutting aspect
of the Big Food wheeze. When neither
your doctor nor your government – not
least big business – can be relied upon,
then more than ever it is imperative
to remind people that, ultimately, the
power lies in the hands of the educated
consumer. And that means you.THE
GREAT
SUGAR
KNOW YOUR ENEMY SWINDLENot sure where to draw the line
between fats and sugar? We’ll let
the figures do the talkingSUGAR
4
90g of sugar per
hour optimises
your sporting
performance in
exercise lasting
over 2.5 hours
(Uni of Bath)2X
Scoring 25% of
your kcal from
sugar doubles your
risk of death from
heart disease
versus eating 10%
or less (Harvard)A 2015 study
by Washington
Uni School of
Medicine found a
strong link
between high
blood sugar and
Alzheimer’sSugar has not
only been linked
to depression, it
also exacerbates
cortisol levels,
affecting your
bedroom activity9
Basing 44% of
your diet on fat
will not only enable
you to run farther,
but you’ll recover
faster too
(Uni at Buffalo)72
The number of
studies in a British
Heart Foundation
review which
found no link
between sat fat
and heart diseaseJust 40ml of
ketone-rich
fat can sharpen
brain function,
according to
the journal
Neurobiology
of AgingFats from olives,
avocados and fish
boost production
of testosterone,
raising sex drive
(American Heart
Association)FAT
CALORIES PER GRAMPERFORMANCEHEART HEALTHBRAINPOWERLIBIDO