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Review
Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior
Clara R. Freeman1, Amna Zehra1, Veronica Ramirez1, Corinde E. Wiers1, Nora D. Volkow1,2, Gene-Jack Wang1,*
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1
Laboratory of Neuroimaging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
2
Office of Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2018, 23(12), 2255–2266;
https://doi.org/10.2741/4704
Published: 1 June 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular correlates of obesity: Animal models and clinical therapeutics)
Abstract
Sugar is highly palatable and rewarding, both in its taste and nutritive input. Excessive sugar consumption, however, may trigger neuroadaptations in the reward system that decouple eating behavior from caloric needs and leads to compulsive overeating. Excessive sugar intake is in turn associated with adverse health conditions, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and inflammatory diseases. This review aims to use recent evidence to connect sugar’s impact on the body, brain, and behavior to elucidate how and why sugar consumption has been implicated in addictive behaviors and poor health outcomes.
Keywords
Sugar
Addiction
Brain
Eating Behavior
Review