SUGAR & METABOLISM (Lustig et al., 2015)
What nutrient was reduced from 28% to 10% in the children’s diets?
Sugar
What trait was measured to assess obesity?
BMI
What type of drug was tested in this study?
Appetite suppressant (sibutramine)
Finish the equation: Calories consumed – calories burned = ______
Fat stored
True or False: The children had to eat fewer calories to improve metabolic health.
False
What study design was used to separate genes from environment?
Adoption Study
What type of experiment was used?
Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
Which biological factor explains why sugar affects obesity beyond calories?
Hormones / metabolism / insulin
Name ONE metabolic marker that improved in just 9 days.
Insulin sensitivity / triglycerides / blood pressure / glucose tolerance
Did environmental factors change the strength of genetic influence on BMI?
No
How did the placebo group’s weight change?
They gained weight
Which study best supports the role of genetics in obesity?
Sorenson et al. (1998)
What key conclusion did the study show about sugar?
Sugar harms metabolic health independently of weight loss
What was the approximate BMI correlation with biological siblings?
r ≈ 0.26
Name ONE limitation of the study.
Side effects / no long-term follow-up
Which study shows biology can be treated but with risks?
Berkowitz et al. (2006)