The Influence of High Sugar Intake on Cognitive Functions and Body Composition of University Students
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Anthropologia Integra |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://journals.muni.cz/anthropologia_integra/article/view/6221 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.5817/AI2017-1-39 |
| Field | Archaeology, anthropology, ethnology |
| Keywords | sugar intake, LGT-3 test, cognitive functions, body composition, short-term memory, learning |
| Description | Free sugars contribute to the overall energy density of diets and may promote a positive energy balance. According to WHO, the recommended sugar intake is 25 grams per day for an adult of normal BMI. According to Euromonitor International, the amount of sugar consumed per day in the Czech Republic is 71.6 grams. Excessive sugar intake can increase the risk of NCDs and various studies investigating the high sugar intake agree that sugar consumption could have an impact on the cognitive abilities of the person. The present study was aimed to determine the effects of high sugar intake on the body weight, body composition (using the BIA method - Bodystat 1500MDD), and learning abilities on a sample of university students (N=107) assigned into two groups. While the experimental group was instructed to stick to a sugar free diet, the control group had no specific diet prescribed. Selected variables were measured, by LGT-3 test and bioimpedance measurement, at the beginning of the experiment and after one month (33 participants completed the experiment). No significant differences in body composition or cognitive functions were found between the experimental and control groups after the experiment. Therefore we cannot conclude that reduction in sugar consumption has an impact on body composition or cognitive functions. Finally, a number of recommendations were formulated to encourage an adequate intake of sugar for the experimental sample. |