Introduction
Sugar is essential for energy balance and can be found practically in all plants and animal products. However, in modern supermarkets, people buy dozens of varieties of goods with added sugar and consume large quantities of them, which causes various diseases associated with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular problems, and caries. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between health problems and high levels of sugar intake.
Subject and Research Questions
The subject of this study is the nutritional habits of people and their impact on health, precisely, the harm of high sugar intake. It is also necessary to highlight several research questions to reveal this topic fully:
- What level of sugar intake can be considered high and normal?
- What diseases can cause high sugar intake?
- Is there a correlation between the amount of sugar consumed and the increased risk of health problems?
Research Claim and the Audience
The central claim of the study is the statement that high sugar intake increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, caries, and obesity. At the same time, these risks increase in relation to higher sugar consumption. The primary audience that might be interested in this study is doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and organizations promoting a healthy lifestyle. This research also can be interesting for the general public or group of people that care about their health in particular.
Research Plan
This study can be carried out by using a review of literature, which has high variability but is not systematized. It is necessary to divide the survey into several consecutive parts, which contributes to a thorough analysis and obtaining accurate data. At the first stage, literature will be revised on this topic, and the second step will be its analysis and division into three categories. These categories should include sources that determine the average level of sugar consumption and its effect, the impact of high consumption on health, and the interdependence of sugar intake, and the risks of developing the diseases. Next, the analysis and synthesis of the literature will be carried out, and the main results, conclusions, and shortcomings of the study will be determined.
Synthesis Matrix
A previous review of the literature showed that the number of sources discussing high sugar intake is limited. However, some studies and reports examine the diverse aspects of this issue. Table 1 shows examples of such sources that are expected to be used in the study. Their main intersection is the fact that they all confirm the negative impact of high sugar intake on the body, although they consider different age categories and various body systems.
Table 1. Synthesis Matrix.
References
Peres, M., Sheiham, A., Liu, P., Demarco, F., Silva, A., Assunção, M., … Peres, K. (2016). Sugar consumption and changes in dental caries from childhood to adolescence. Journal of Dental Research, 95(4), 388–394.
Vos, M. B., Kaar, J. L., Welsh, J. A., Horn, L. V. V., Feig, D. I., Anderson, C. A., … Johnson, R. K. (2017). Added sugars and cardiovascular disease risk in children: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 135(19), 1017–1034.
World Health Organization. (2015). Guideline: Sugars intake for adults and children. Web.