UCSF's Lustig Discusses the Role of Fructose in Pediatric Obesity

Robert Lustig

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) Radio National's The Health Report, with Norman Swan, MD, features an interview with UCSF pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, MD, who argues that the reason for the obesity epidemic is more than just the calories we eat and lack of exercise. Rather, it's due to the wide use of fructose by food manufacturers in what Lustig terms the "toxic environment" of Western diets. According to Lustig, fructose, a carbohydrate, acts biologically like a fat and a hepato-toxin that worsens obesity, especially in children. High fructose stimulates the appetite and increases overall food consumption. Lustig is professor of clinical pediatrics and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF. Related links: The Obesity Epidemic The Health Report, ABC (Australia) Radio National, July 9, 2007 On the Spot: Dr. Lustig Responds UCSF Today, October 20, 2006 High-Cal, Low-Fiber Diets Driving Kids to Obesity Forbes, August 22, 2006 "Toxic Diets" Fuel Child Obesity BBC News, August 19, 2006 Obesity and Starvation on KQED Forum UCSF Today, August 16, 2006 Childhood Obesity Caused by "Toxic Environment" of Western Diets, Study Says UCSF News Release, August 11, 2006 UCSF Center for Obesity Assessment, Study and Treatment (COAST)