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CAMBRIDGE, UK: Saturated fats in junk food have been associated with obesity, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia risk. Now, researchers from the University of Cambridge have warned that such food also contains a great deal of sugar, which can contribute to periodontal disease when consumed to excess. They suggested that its effect on oral health may be an important additional mechanism by which junk food elevates the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The researchers said that soft drinks in particular are the main source of free sugar for many individuals, contributing to periodontal disease as a result of untreated dental caries. In addition, it is thought that chronic infection from gum disease can trigger an inflammatory response that leads to heart disease through atherosclerosis, that is, hardening of the arteries.
From 1980 to 2000, the contribution of soft drinks to total sugar intake more than doubled from a level of 15 per cent to 37 per cent, according to a UK study from 2005.
Although there is evidence that poor oral health caused by excess sugar consumption is linked to premature heart disease, national regulations on the prevention of cardiovascular disease often do not address the reduction of sugars directly. Policy goals for individual dietary components mostly include reductions in salt and saturated fat consumption, and increased public awareness about the harmful effects of industrially produced trans-fatty acids.
The researchers thus suggested that reducing sugar consumption may be a particularly important target for future health policy. For instance, a study from 2012 showed that, among other means, pricing and taxation could have a significant effect in reducing the consumption of sugary foods. According to the researchers, evidence has demonstrated that even modest increases in prices of fast food may be sufficient to achieve reductions in consumption.
The study, titled “Junk food and heart disease: The missing tooth”, was published in the December issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.
