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4A Daily News – Monday, May 16, 2011 Vitality & health (MCT) — An academic lecture that lasts nearly 90 minutes usually will get about a million yawns and, if lucky, a hundred hits on YouTube. But a recently discov- ered talk by a doctor with a fresh take on the obesity epidemic recently rocketed the YouTube video to viral status. Supporting the thesis that sugar is nothing short of "poison," Dr. Robert Lustig, a professor of clinical pedi- atrics in the division of endocrinology at University of California-San Francis- co, clearly has hit a nerve. And his no-nonsense mes- sage about health and sugar is spreading through media channels like wildfire. The U.S. will not get a handle on the obesity epi- demic, Lustig says, if the public continues to view obesity as the result of glut- tony and sloth. No one chooses to be fat, especially not the thousands of babies and toddlers in the United States who are obese or at risk for it. That's why obesi- ty should be seen as a public health crisis on the level of AIDS rather than a personal responsibility issue, he argues. "(AIDS) initially was thought to be everybody else's problem," Lustig says. Eventually, public policy turned the AIDS epidemic into a public health concern that all people should be aware of and protect them- selves against, he says. Research and education Aspoon full of sugar … is toxic? supported by all health experts and diet researchers. Fitness expert and author Alan Aragon, for example, argues that Lustig has a "myopic, militant focus on fructose avoidance" and argues for a caloric balance instead of avoiding sugar altogether. policy followed. A powerful public speaker, Lustig is getting a not-undeserved reputation as an anti-sugar activist. He frequently calls sugar "poi- son" and a "toxin" and his 2009 UCSF lecture on the subject recently went viral on YouTube with more than 1.2 million views. The speech makes the case that Americans fill their diets with sugar now more than ever. Our addiction to sugar may be a main reason for the obesity epidemic and, in turn, growing incidences of heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer, among many other prob- lems. "We have to understand what's causing obesity. We couldn't do anything about AIDS until we understood what caused it," he says. The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that more than 30 percent of men and women in the U.S. are obese and many more are overweight. Lustig's thoughts on sugar — both fructose and sucrose — and obesity are getting the attention of noted health experts and journalists, including jour- nalist Gary Taubes, author of the best-selling book "Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It" (Knopf, $24.95). In Taubes' April 13 article in the New York Times Magazine, he says Lustig's argument that sugar is a harmful chemical is worth further evaluation even if it his statements are controversial and not totally One thing is certain, though: Lustig is correct about Americans' increas- ing sugar load. Marisa Moore, a registered and licensed dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Associa- tion, says most Americans are getting 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day. "Added sugar" is basically sugar not found naturally in fruits, vegetables and milk. Experts recommend only 6 to 9 teaspoons of added sugar per day. "At 22 teaspoons, that's about 350 calories extra per day which can lead to as much as three pounds of weight gain per year," she says. After it's consumed, sugar turns into glucose and when the liver processes excess glucose, it is turned into fat. And, like Lustig, Moore doesn't differentiate between white sugar — sucrose — and the demo- nized high-fructose corn syrup when she's talking about excessive sugar con- sumption. "There is not a prefer- ence for one over the other," she says. One reason we're con- suming so much sugar, Lustig says, is because in the 1980s, public health officials suggested a lower fat diet to minimize the risk of heart disease. He points to the Snack- wells brand of cookies and sweets. Produced by Nabis- co, the treats are known to be lower fat alternatives. But in order to taste good, Lusting says, they are loaded with sugar. In fact, many products that are labeled "low fat" have added sugars, he says. Why? Because without the fat and sugar the food would "taste like cardboard." "As far as I am con- cerned," Lustig said, "our food has been adulterated." fitness Nutrition Quiz: All about soy (MCT) — So, you wanna know all about soy? So glad you asked. Take our quiz on this ver- satile, protein-packed food. 1. The origins of soy beans as food date back to the 11th century B.C. When, however, was soy introduced to North American taste buds? a) 18th century b) 19th century c) 21st century 2. True or false: Soy is the only widely available plant-based food that con- tains all amino acids. 3. A quarter-cup of roasted soy beans con- tains 10 grams of protein, more than which of these non-meat foods? a) Almonds b) Peanuts c) Both 4. According to the Food and Drug Adminis- tration, how much soy per day is recommended to help reduce the chances of heart disease? a) 13 grams b) 25 grams c) 184 grams 5. Studies have not definitively found that soy intake helps prevent breast or prostate cancer, but research has shown it helps in this respect: a) Maintains bone mass in postmenopausal women b) Eases symptoms of gout in elderly men c) Helps increase endurance athletes' oxy- gen capacity ANSWERS: 1: a; 2: .true; 3: c; 4: b; 5: b Sources: www.foodin- sight.org; http://lpi.ore- gonstate.edu. CARE TO COMMENT? At redbluffdailynews.com, scroll to the end of any story, click the link and type away.