I chose to focus on sugar consumption in different countries and look at which countries citizens consume the most added sugars, because I believe that added sugars and Processed foods have a huge influence on global sugar consumption. growing problem of obesity and diabetes. Through my research, I learned that the United States has by far the highest sugar consumption in the world at 126.4 grams, more than 10 times the lowest recommendation (World Atlas). The next five countries in terms of sugar consumption were Germany, Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands, and Mexico. According to the WHO, the amount of added sugar in the diet should never exceed 25 grams, and countries with such high consumption significantly increase the risk of many health problems on their population (WHO.)Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get an original essay More and more research is evolving on the harmful effects of added sugars and how they can further harm weight and a person's health because of the dramatic effects it has on cholesterol and insulin levels. Countries like Indonesia, China, Russia, Singapore, Israel and the Philippines all consumed grams of sugar per capita that were within or below the parameters set by the FDA (Food Pyramid). These countries also have some of the lowest rates of diabetes. and obesity within their populations. However, these countries also tend to report much lower consumption of processed foods than countries at the top of the list. Therefore, these statistics may be more closely related to the link between diabetes, obesity and processed foods. Studies also indicate that a diet high in refined sugars may lead to an increased risk of diabetes or heart disease, even in people of normal weight. Countries with the highest sugar consumption were even more closely linked to the risks of these diseases for their populations. I think that when researching obesity, or any other health issue related to it, it is important to also take into account a country's consumption of processed sugar, as this seems to have an undeniable effect on the overall health of the population. Keep in mind: This is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay This information will be helpful when I work on my “Follow Your Bliss” assignment, as I will likely be focusing on one nutrition-based health area among a number of countries. I'm not very surprised by the results of this research, because the countries that have the highest rates are also known to have the highest rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other problems related to nutrition. However, I would like to further research the countries that are at the lower end of the list and see if I can determine why they rank low on sugar. Whether this is due to malnutrition, or if their diet has remained naturally low in added sugars and/or processed foods. I think research into countries that are better at avoiding processed sugars would shed light on ways we can help reduce our dramatically increasing obesity rates and various conditions in many developed countries..