June 22/Washington/Asian News International -- Fructose -- the sugar widely used as high-fructose corn syrup in soft drinks and processed foods -- when present in high levels throughout childhood could make maturing human fat cells fatter and less insulin-sensitive.
The researchers, led by Dr. Georgina Coade at the University of Bristol in the U.K., found that when fructose is present as children's fat cells mature, it makes more of these cells mature into fat cells in belly fat and less able to respond to insulin in both belly fat and fat located below the skin.