Obese Children See Improved Health Within 10 Days Of Cutting Sugar, Study Shows
Obese children — currently an estimated third of the youth population in the United States — who reduce their sugar intake see improvements to their health after just 10 days, a new study says.
The research, published in the Obesity journal, found that children who cut back on sugar saw better results on their blood pressure and cholesterol, and other health markers — despite the fact that they barely lost weight or reduced their calorie intake.
During the study, 43 participants had their dietary sugar intake reduced from 28 percent to 10 percent and substituted with starch for nine days.
By the 10th day, participants were noted as having improved metabolic health, even in those subjects that lost no weight at all. Among the most significant changes, researchers noted an average decrease of LDL cholesterol by 10 points, and blood pressure by five points. Triglycerides, which are fats that contribute to heart disease, fell an average of 33 points.