Research

Macro partitioning

Higher consumption of added sugars (defined as caloric sweeteners in processed foods) is associated with adverse lipid profiles, specifically lower HDL-C, higher triglycerides, and higher triglyceride-to-HDL-C ratios in US adults.

If you consume a high percentage of your calories from added sugars (sodas, sweets, processed foods), you likely have less favorable cholesterol levels (lower 'good' HDL, higher triglycerides) than someone who eats fewer added sugars. While this study doesn't prove cause-and-effect, it strongly suggests that reducing added sugars may improve your lipid profile, a key marker for heart health.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
In this study, there was a statistically significant correlation between dietary added sugars and blood lipid levels among US adults.
Jean A. Welsh · JAMA · 2010

Why this rating

Large, nationally representative cross-sectional study with rigorous adjustment for confounders, but causality cannot be established.

Source

Caloric Sweetener Consumption and Dyslipidemia Among US Adults

Jean A. Welsh · JAMA · 2010

DOI 10.1001/jama.2010.449

cross_sectional · n=6113Cited 278×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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