From science to sensational headline: a critical examination of the “sugar as toxic” narrative

Abstract

Over the past few decades, some scholars have labeled sugar "toxic" and portrayed it as the primary cause of diet-related health conditions. In this paper, this sugar as toxic rhetoric -which is widely echoed in the public sphere -is critically examined in terms of its physiological basis and wider social consequences. We argue that the claims of the narrative are oversimplified and partly based on a particular interpretation of scientific studies. By exaggerating the hazards of sugar consumption often using emotive language, the claims generate public concern about it being a threat to their health, which, in the process, contributes to a sense of moral panic. The resultant anxieties give emphasis to feelings of individual responsibility for regulating sugar consumption, which can further generate feelings of guilt and shame especially among those with limited agency for altering their consumption. We contend that the science on which the sugar as toxic narrative builds tends to be ideologically driven in a way that deflects attention away from a more serious debate about food environments. We conclude that the challenges are considerable for those whose role it is to communicate public health messages, especially if the issue is complex and the science incomplete.

Global trends in added sugars and non-nutritive sweetener use in the packaged food supply: drivers and implications for public health

“…Increasingly, consumers are concerned about health and weight gain, particularly from added sugars ( 45 ) . Excess added sugar consumption has been linked to health issues including obesity and non-communicable disease ( 9 , 48 ) and is increasingly demonized as an isolated nutrient in the media ( 49 , 50 ) . Simultaneously, consumption of NNS has increased over time, particularly in the USA ( 13 ) .…”

One day of eating: Tracing misinformation in ‘What I Eat In A Day’ videos

“…Indeed, scientific communication itself is not straightforwardly factual. Hervik et al (2021) demonstrate that the ‘sugar is toxic’ narrative is based on an oversimplification of scientific literature and created moral panic around individuals’ sugar consumption. It also demonstrates the potent entanglement of emotion with food, diet and health behaviour, making them particularly sticky sights of misinformation, which is further apparent in our analysis of WIEIAD videos.…”

“…It also demonstrates the potent entanglement of emotion with food, diet and health behaviour, making them particularly sticky sights of misinformation, which is further apparent in our analysis of WIEIAD videos. The mix of scientific evidence, ideology and emotion create an, ‘at times, chaotic and confusing information environment’ (Hervik et al, 2021: 10) that is not easily fixed by policing ‘good’ and ‘bad’ facts.…”

Os impactos da alimentação Low Carb em pacientes com obesidade e sobrepeso na atenção primária à saúde

“…Outro ponto a ser discutido é o potencial de causar adicção que o açúcar possui. Estudos comparam o poder viciante dessa substância com outras drogas como tabaco, álcool e cocaína demonstrando a gravidade de seu consumo indiscriminado pela população (50,51). Com isso, a interrupção abrupta desse macronutriente pode gerar abstinência dificultando a adesão ao estilo Low Carb e a continuidade dos participantes nesta pesquisa.…”