According to sources at CNN, the sugar industry actively organized research to study the effects of sugar on cancer and then suppressed its results in the 1960s.
Stanton Glantz, a UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) professor, has co-authored a PLOS Journal paper that revealed the origins of this research as it was originally organized. In 1965, the Sugar Research Foundation (SRF) secretly funded a review in the New England Journal of Medicine that discounted evidence linking sucrose consumption to hyperlipidemia, coronary heart disease, and cancer.
Sugar vs Fat – An Ongoing Battle
The results of this study were never published. Instead, the sugar industry used its influence to shift the public health narrative away from sugar and onto dietary fat as the primary culprit for heart disease and other chronic illnesses. This manipulation of scientific research helped shape dietary guidelines for decades, promoting low-fat diets while overlooking the dangers of high sugar consumption.
Industry Research Manipulation
The suppressed research, known as Project 259, was a study on the effects of sugar on cancer and heart disease. According to Project 259, the Sugar Research Foundation authorized 15 months of funding for the sugar-vs-cancer study between June 1968 and September 1969.
Kearns, a researcher who uncovered these documents, found that the funding was discontinued by the SRF because the ongoing data was becoming extremely unfavorable to the commercial interests of the sugar industry. Had the study continued, it would have likely resulted in the publication of findings that could have drastically altered public perception of sugar.
Retrieving the Truth – What the Sugar Industry Has to Say
The buried findings from Project 259 suggest a direct link between high sugar diets and increased cancer risk. The study indicated that a high-sugar diet could promote the growth of cancer cells, particularly in the bladder.
Key findings from Project 259
- High-sugar diet and bladder cancer: The study found that rats fed a high-sugar diet showed increased levels of beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme associated with bladder cancer development.
- Beta-Glucuronidases: Elevated levels of this enzyme can interfere with the body’s natural detoxification processes, potentially allowing carcinogens to remain active in the system for longer periods.
- Immune system suppression: High sugar intake was linked to weakened immune responses, making the body less capable of identifying and destroying cancer cells.
What This Means for You Today
While no single food causes cancer, a consistent pattern of high sugar consumption can create an environment in the body that is conducive to cancer development. Sugar fuels inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which are linked to higher cancer risk.
As is the case with any public dietary recommendation that has massive repercussions, this battle between sugar and health will be long-drawn and filled with interjections from both sides of the table.
As for consumers who wish to avoid cancer, the decision still rests with us on how we choose to interpret the 'allegations, revelations, and defense'.
Practical Steps to Reduce Sugar Intake
Reducing your sugar intake is one of the most effective ways to lower your cancer risk and improve overall health:
- Avoid sugary beverages like sodas, energy drinks, and sweetened juices.
- Read food labels carefully—sugar hides under many names like corn syrup, fructose, dextrose, and maltose.
- Limit processed foods, which are often loaded with added sugars.
- Choose whole fruits over fruit juices or desserts.
- Cook more meals at home to control ingredients and reduce hidden sugars.
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Note: This is an employee-authored column, and the opinions expressed herein rest solely with the author (Shomprakash Sinha Roy). They are not representative of the opinions of Onco.com as an organization.