The Sugar Roundups Roundup

in-the-sugar-aisle
Could one post be enough to catalogue and recall the highlights of so many mentions of sugar and its addictiveness? Not possible! Here is another collection of past articles that have featured sugar, and it even includes former attempts at curating them all. Has any other substance, except maybe opium, nicotine or alcohol, inspired so much controversy and drawn to itself so much animus?

World-renowned chef and health activist Jamie Oliver is one of sugar’s staunchest opponents. He worries about its effect on each human within its reach, and its effect on society as a whole, quoting the statistic that 68% of the cases dealt with by Britain’s National Health Service are somehow rooted in sugar.

Oliver is haunted by the thousands of teeth yanked prematurely from the mouths of children. His visits to Mexico are not carefree vacations, but nightmares that present such sights as women feeding Coca-Cola to their offspring. Even his documentary film Sugar Rush could not contain all vilification this gentleman would like to fling at sugar.

Almost everyone has a love-hate relationship with the chemical in its various forms. We know how terribly it affects us and our children, but we can’t let it go. And no wonder, because we are inducted into the sugar army from our earliest days on earth. Sugar is the alcohol of childhood, and except for the exceedingly rare individual, most of us were taught to crave its unique intoxication before we knew any other flavors.

It comes in liquid and solid forms, and can be added to just about anything. Its versatility and availability are two of its strongest weapons. Sure, certain pharmaceuticals are said to be capable of breaking its addictive hold, but the possible side effects are harrowing.

While we are on the subject, let’s list the previous collections:

Of course, many of these pieces mention the white crystal’s addictiveness, but some of them, like “The Sugar Addiction Story” and “Highlights from ‘The Cost of Sugar Addiction'” (describing a 4-part series) really go into hideous detail. Enjoy!

Your responses and feedback are welcome!

Photo credit: TheeErin via Visual Hunt/CC BY-SA

2 Responses

  1. Another of the biggest and most obvious differences that I see, from when I was a child..is the incredible amount of SODA and sweet drinks that our children are drinking..

    The sodas now, served in restaurants, are BIG sodas, with free refills..many times over. And, these kids drink soda for breakfast, lunch and dinner..lots of it! And, in between meals, just because..they CAN. I am constantly amazed at the among of kids and grownups coming out of a fast food place, or a Quik Trip carrying QUART sized soft drinks..

    Even the diet soft drinks are NOT good for you! With this kind of consumption of soda, even if kids ate smarter, and had more exercise..it wouldn’t affect their weight..the soda is a killer.

    The unlimited sweet snacks, the sodas, the salty stuff, chips, cookies..all of this stuff is pure garbage..BUT..it does taste good. Somehow, we must figure out a way to change the eating habits..and what our children eat.

    It starts at home, with the parents. Please think about what you are feeding your kids..

    Here’s a great weight loss program I used to lose weight and permanently keep it off: http://thehealthspecialists.com

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About Dr. Robert A. Pretlow

Dr. Robert A. Pretlow is a pediatrician and childhood obesity specialist. He has been researching and spreading awareness on the childhood obesity epidemic in the US for more than a decade.
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Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the American Society of Animal Science 2020 Conference
What’s Causing Obesity in Companion Animals and What Can We Do About It

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the World Obesity Federation 2019 Conference:
Food/Eating Addiction and the Displacement Mechanism

Dr. Pretlow’s Multi-Center Clinical Trial Kick-off Speech 2018:
Obesity: Tackling the Root Cause

Dr. Pretlow’s 2017 Workshop on
Treatment of Obesity Using the Addiction Model

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation for
TEC and UNC 2016

Dr. Pretlow’s invited presentation at the 2015 Obesity Summit in London, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s invited keynote at the 2014 European Childhood Obesity Group Congress in Salzburg, Austria.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2013 European Congress on Obesity in Liverpool, UK.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2011 International Conference on Childhood Obesity in Lisbon, Portugal.

Dr. Pretlow’s presentation at the 2010 Uniting Against Childhood Obesity Conference in Houston, TX.

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