Call it corn sugar if you must, and laugh about stay-at-home moms concerned about their children’s health, but scientists have shed new light on the dangers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) consumption by youth.

According to a new study published in this month’s The Journal of Nutrition, and reported by Natural News:

Health consequences of HCFS show up early

An investigation by scientists from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU) followed 559 children ages 14-18. The study subjects’ dietary habits were measured; their blood analyzed and blood pressure, body fat and other health measurements taken. The researchers found a correlation between high-fructose diets and markers for heart and vascular disease such as higher blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin resistance, levels of C – reactive protein, related to inflammation…

Norman Pollock, assistant professor of pediatrics at GHSU and co-lead author of the study said that “There is not much data in children and adolescents,” although “adolescents consume the most fructose so it’s really important to not only measure the levels of fructose but to look at what it might be doing to their bodies currently and, hopefully, to look at cardiovascular disease outcomes as they grow.”

As an adolescent, I drank a lot of soda, but it isn’t just sodas where HFCS shows up.  This ubiquitous industrial sweetener can be found in saltine crackers and apple sauce; food products families might consider harmless unless they read the label.  It is cheap to make, thus corporate profits are negatively affecting our children’s health.

I wish such studies as mentioned above would be used to set policies, such as banning HFCS from all school meals.