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Startling Research Findings: A Newly Discovered Cause of High Blood Pressure and Obesity? http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/25/startling-research-findings-a-newly-discovered-cause-of-high-blood-pressure-and-obesity.aspx
Obesity rates have paralleled sugar consumption trends in Western civilization. Although the obesity epidemic is relatively recent, obesity is not a new phenomenon.
In 1860, the prevalence of a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher (which defines obesity) was 1.6 percent among 50 year-old men. By 1900, it had tripled, and it has sharply increased over the past century.
Like obesity, hypertension was also rare prior to the twentieth century:
- In 1900, only 5 percent of the population had a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher.
- By 1939, 10 percent of adults had blood pressures above 140/90.
- Today, 31 percent of adults are hypertensive.
Prior to 1940, there was no such thing as a cardiologist because there was no need for them. That was only 70 years ago!
The first reported angina was in 1929. In 1950, there were 500 cardiologists in the United States. Now there are 35,000 -- and they perform more than one million heart surgeries annually.
What is driving this eruption of cardiovascular disease?
One key factor: the explosion of sugar in the Western diet.
Sugar used to be quite expensive. It was a nonessential food item reserved mostly for the wealthy. Prior to 1800, Americans were consuming only about 4 pounds of sugar per person, per year. By 1800, that number had increased to 18 pounds as sugar plantations began to emerge. And by 1900, it was 90 pounds.
And sugar consumption has literally exploded since then -- our entire society is dependent on a substance that offers no nutritional value at all.
Obesity rates have paralleled sugar consumption trends in Western civilization. Although the obesity epidemic is relatively recent, obesity is not a new phenomenon.
In 1860, the prevalence of a BMI (body mass index) of 30 or higher (which defines obesity) was 1.6 percent among 50 year-old men. By 1900, it had tripled, and it has sharply increased over the past century.
Like obesity, hypertension was also rare prior to the twentieth century:
- In 1900, only 5 percent of the population had a blood pressure of 140/90 or higher.
- By 1939, 10 percent of adults had blood pressures above 140/90.
- Today, 31 percent of adults are hypertensive.
Prior to 1940, there was no such thing as a cardiologist because there was no need for them. That was only 70 years ago!
The first reported angina was in 1929. In 1950, there were 500 cardiologists in the United States. Now there are 35,000 -- and they perform more than one million heart surgeries annually.
What is driving this eruption of cardiovascular disease?
One key factor: the explosion of sugar in the Western diet.
Sugar used to be quite expensive. It was a nonessential food item reserved mostly for the wealthy. Prior to 1800, Americans were consuming only about 4 pounds of sugar per person, per year. By 1800, that number had increased to 18 pounds as sugar plantations began to emerge. And by 1900, it was 90 pounds.
And sugar consumption has literally exploded since then -- our entire society is dependent on a substance that offers no nutritional value at all.
