Excessive sugar intake linked with unhealthy fat deposits.

ISLAMABAD -- Consumption of excess sugar is linked with larger fat deposits around the heart and the abdomen, as per the findings of a study published recently in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

"When we consume too much sugar the excess is converted to fat and stored," said study author Ms. So Yun Yi, a PhD student at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health."

This fat tissue located around the heart and in the abdomen releases chemicals into the body which can be harmful to health. Our results support limiting added sugar intake," added Yi.

Excess sugar consumption is a worldwide problem. The demand for sugar is expected to increase in Asia, Africa, and Russia, Science Daily reported.

This observational study examined both sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks, fruit drinks, energy drinks) and sugar added to foods and beverages for sweetness (for example when cooking or in processed foods).

The researchers analysed the association between long-term sugar consumption and fat stores around the heart and other organs.

Data were obtained from Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), an ongoing cohort study in the US that includes centres in Alabama, California, Illinois...