WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Should sugar be regulated like alcohol and tobacco?

We all know too many sweets pack on the pounds, but they're often too hard to resist.

"I love sugar!" Pat Dixon said.

A commentary in the latest issue of Nature says sugar is responsible for high rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and it should be regulated.

"Because of the way sugar is metabolized in the liver, the liver will turn sugar into fat causing insulin resistance and all of the diseases of the metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Robert Lustig of the University of California-San Francisco, who authored the commentary.

The authors say it's time to put restrictions on sugar similar to the ones on tobacco and alcohol.

"What if we had an age limit to purchase soda for instance? Carding kids for Coke. I think it's a great idea," Lustig said.

Experts say the average American consumes 300-500 calories a day from added sugars. And some of it is in foods you may not realize, like breads, soups, and salad dressings.

Nutritionists say limiting sugar is a good idea.

"I think regulation will be tough, but I think that there are small steps we can take," said Keri Glassman of Nutritiouslife.

But people like Pat Dixon disagree.

"You don't have a car accident because you've had too many popsicles. You don't wake up with the wrong people because you had chocolate cake for dessert. I mean, the government should stay out of the sugar business," Dixon said.

The researchers know it will take time to change people's attitudes, but with obesity levels where they are now, they say tackling sugar is the only way to solve the problem.

Experts say worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years. Researchers blame it in large part on the addition of high fructose corn syrup to modern foods and drinks, which is tasty and cheap to produce.