THE IMPACT OF OVERCONSUMPTION OF SUGAR

Grace M. Viseral

Joan M. Daludado

Roselyn M. Agoto

Novie M. Casticon

Elaine Joy M. Cabusi

Angelika Ylarde

Lycelle Baniel

Albert M. Buendicho

December 20, 2019

 INTRODUCTION

Sugars are an important source of energy with glucose being the most important for the
body; sugar is a naturally ingredient that has always been part of the human diet. Carbohydrates
comprising sugars and starches are broken down into body into glucose. Our brain requires
around 130 grams of glucose per day to keep functioning.

Sugar has a bittersweet reputation when it comes to health; sugar occurs naturally in all
foods that contain carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy. Consuming
whole foods that contain natural sugar is okay. Plant foods also have high amounts of fibre,
essential minerals, and antioxidants, and dairy foods contain protein and calcium. Since your
body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy to your
cells. A high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains also has been shown to reduce the risk
of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. However, problems
occur when you consume too much added sugar that is, sugar that food manufacturer’s ad to
products to increase flavours or extend shelf life. In the American diet, the top sources are soft
drinks, fruit drinks, flavoured yogurts, cereals, cookies, cakes, candy, and most processed
foods. But added sugar is also present in items that you may not think of as sweetened, like
soups, bread, cured meats, and ketchup. The result: we consume way too much added sugar.
Adult men take in an average of 24 teaspoons of added sugar per day, according to the National
Cancer Institute. That’s equal to 384 calories. “Excess sugars impact on obesity and diabetes
is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can
have a serious impact on their health”, says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard
T.H Chan School of Public Health.

In a study published in 2014 in JAMA International Medicine, Dr. Hu and his

colleagues found an association between a high sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart
disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories
from added sugar had 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with
those who consumed 65 of their calories as added sugar. Basically, the higher the intake of
added sugar, the higher the risk of heart disease, says Dr. Hu. How sugar actually affects heart
health is not completely understood, but it appears to have several indirect connections. For
instance, high amounts of sugar overload the river. Your liver metabolizes sugar the same way
as alcohol, and converts dietary carbohydrates to fat. Over time, this can lead to a greater
accumulation of fat, which may turn into fatty liver disease, a contributor to diabetes, which
raises your risk of heart disease.

BODY

Those person who consumed high in sugar and hidden sugar; not aware in the food labels
of sugar it has unhealthy lifestyle and it's not regulate properly the production and
consumption of sugar so almost of us has been associated with the negative effects such as
obesity, tooth decay and diabetes.

KEY ISSUES OR PROBLEM

 1. Extent of over
consumption of sugar. Awareness of hidden sugar
content on food items.

Agreement or dis agreement Awareness on the impact of

on the need to regulate the the over consumption of sugar
production and consumption based products on the pursuit
of sugar. of human happiness.

ASSUMPTIONS

In the first place, we all know that sugar consumption has no effect on us. As a result, we know
that overconsumption of sugar has the negative effects on our health such as obesity, tooth
decay, and diabetes. Eating too much sugar isn't good for us, yet we're probably consuming for
it.

DATA ANALYSIS
Table 1: Number of respondents, sex, age and weight.

SEX PERCENTAGE
Female 50%
Male 50%
Total 100%

AGE PERCENTAGE
21 5%
20 12.5%
19 62.5%
18 20%
Total 100%

WEIGHT PERCENTAGE
65 5%
61 2.5%
60 10%
57 2.5%
56 7.5%
55 7.5%
54 2.5%
53 2.5%
52 7.5%
51 7.5%
50 5%
49 5%
48 12.5%
47 5%
46 2.5%
 45 2.5%
44 2.5%
43 5%
42 5%
Total 100%

Demographic characteristics

A total of 40 respondents, between the ages of 21 to 18 were chosen randomly from

selected students under the CCJA Department. Of the 40 respondents, 50% were female and
50% male. In addition, 5% of the respondents were 21 years old, 12.5% were 20 years old,
62.5% of the respondents were 19% years old and 20% were 18 years old.

The highest weights of the respondents were 65 kilo grams which have 5% and the
lowest weights were 42 kilo grams which have 5%.

Table 2: Extent of overconsumption of sugar and awareness of hidden sugar on food items.

FOODS and DRINKS PERCENTAGE

Canned Vegetables 5%
Breakfast Cereals 17.5%
Ketchup 17.5%
Bread 30%
Yogurt 17.5%
Ice Cream 45%
Sauces 20%
Iced Tea 25%
Candies 18%
Cakes 45%
Cereal Bars 22.5%
Soda 17.5%
Cookies 30%
Sports Drinks 32.5%
 Fruit Juices 27.5%

In table 2 shows that the foods and drinks that mostly consume of the respondents everyday
were ice cream which have 45%, sports drinks which have 32.5%, the bread and cookies were
30%. Most of the respondents’ are aware that those foods and drinks were also the most sugar
serving.

Table 3: Agreement or Disagreement on the need to regulate the production and consumption
of sugar

5- STRONGLY AGREE 4- AGREE 3- UNDECIDED 2-DISAGREE

1-STRONGLY DISAGREE

ITEMS 5 4 3 2 1
1. Always read the food label to make sure you 15% 22.5% 10% 2.5% 0%
choose sugar-free options.
2. Choose low sugar options of your favourite 7.5% 25% 15% 2.5% 0%
foods and drinks.
3. Cut back on sugar-filled drinks. 2.5% 20% 27.5% 0% 0%
4. Reduce your sugar intake by limiting soft 12.5% 20% 17.5% 0% 0%
drinks, fruit juices, candy, and baked goods.
5. Pay attention to the sugar content in the foods 20% 10% 12.5% 7.5% 0%
and drinks you consume.

In table 3 shows that most of the respondents are strongly agree that they are paying
attention to the sugar content in the foods and drinks they consuming. They always read the
food label to make sure they choose sugar-free options, they choose low sugar options of their
favourite foods and drink and reduce their sugar intake by limiting soft drinks, fruit juices,
candy, and baked goods. It also hard for them to cut back on sugar-filled drinks
Table 4: Awareness on the impact of overconsumption of sugar based products on the pursuit
of human happiness

5- STRONGLY AGREE 4- AGREE 3- UNDECIDED 2-DISAGREE

1-STRONGLY DISAGREE

ITEMS 5 4 3 2 1
1. I am energized when I eat sweets. 5% 17.5% 27.5% 0% 0%
2. Excess sugar consumption has been 27.5% 10% 10% 2.5% 0%
associated with obesity, tooth decay and
diabetes (2)
3. I am aware that high sugar intake is linked to 12.5% 25% 7.5% 5% 0%
increased appetite and weight gain.
4. I am aware on the negative effects of over 7.5% 20% 17.5% 5% 0%
consumption of sugar.
5. I am aware that limiting sugar intake can lead 2.5% 12.5% 32.5% 2.5% %
to happiness or good life

In table 4 shows that most of the respondents strongly agree that excess sugar
consumption has been associated with obesity, tooth decay and diabetes (2). And most of them
agree that they are aware on high sugar intake is linked to increase appetite and weight gain
and they are aware on the negative effects of over consumption of sugar. Most of the
respondents are not aware in limiting sugar intake that lead to happiness or good life.

PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE

Consuming small amounts of sugar now and then is perfectly healthy. You should try to cut
back on sugar whenever possible. Try to swap soft drinks, fruit juices, yogurt, candies, cookies
and other foods and drinks that contain sugar into water, herbal or fruit teas, fresh fruit, water
with mint and cucumber. Consume whole foods instead of sugar sweetened fruit smoothies,
and replace candy with homemade trail mix of fruits, sugar or agave. In addition, keeping a
food dairy is an excellent way of becoming more aware of the main sources of sugar in your
diet. The way to limit your added sugar intake is to prepare your own healthy meals at home
and avoid buying foods and drinks that are high in added sugar

IMPACT OF PROPOSAL ON THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

If we stop or moderating sugar intake we will have healthy lifestyle and it can lead to
happiness or good life. To lead humans closer to eudaimonia, we must be aware on the food
labels content of sugar. In addition, we must prepare our own healthy meals at home and
avoid foods and drinks that contain high in sugar content.

CONCLUSION

Sugar is one of the important ingredients in food products in today's life. No matter how
sweet does the sugar tastes, it has some negative effects on human beings, especially it excess
consumption which is associated with obesity, tooth decay and diabetes. Even in non- diabetic
persons, excess intake of sugars is certainly harmful, so one should not only be careful while
consuming excess amount of sugar in one's diet, but rather advertently avoid it. It is important
for the further studies on overconsumption of sugar in humans.

REFERENCES

www.healthline.com

www.surveymonkey.com.uk

https://makingsenseofsugar.com

https://www.webmd.com>diet>hiddensugar

https://scholarsmepub.com/sjm/
 QUESTIONNAIRE

I. EXTENT OF OVER CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR and AWARENESS OF HIDDEN

SUGAR ON FOOD ITEMS

Which of the following do you consume every day? You may check as many as you can.

( ) Canned Vegetables ( ) Ice cream ( ) Cereal Bars

( ) Breakfast Cereals ( ) Sauces ( ) Soda

( ) Ketchup ( ) Iced Tea ( ) Cookies

( ) Bread ( ) Candies ( ) Sports Drinks

( ) Yogurt ( ) Cakes ( ) Fruit Juices

II. AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT ON THE NEED TO REGULATE THE

PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR

1- Strongly Disagree 2- Disagree 3- Undecided 4- Agree 5- Strongly Agree

Direction: Just write the number that corresponds to your answer.

ITEMS ANSWER

1. Always read the food label to make sure you choose sugar-free options.

2. Choose low sugar options of your favourite foods and drinks.

3. Cut back on sugar-filled drinks.

4. Reduce your sugar intake by limiting soft drinks, fruit juices, candy,
and baked goods.
5. Pay attention to the sugar content in the foods and drinks you consume
III. AWARENESS ON THE IMPACT OF THE OVERCONSUMPTION OF SUGAR
BASED PRODUCTS ON THE PURSUIT OF HUMAN HAPPINESS

1- Strongly Disagree 2- Disagree 3- Undecided 4- Agree 5- Strongly Agree

Direction: Just write the number that corresponds to your answer.

ITEMS ANSWER
1. I am energized when I eat sweets.
2. Excess sugar consumption has been associated with obesity, tooth decay
and type 2 diabetes.
3. I am aware that high sugar intake is linked to increased appetite and weight
gain.
4. I am aware on the negative effects of over consumption of sugar.
5. I am aware that limiting sugar intake can lead to happiness or good life.