Introduction
Human life and health are the highest value. This is recognized by the vast majority of states and people in the world. I would like to believe that this will be the case in the future. Today, some scientists are seriously puzzled by the problem of the rapid increase in the number of people who die from non-communicable diseases: in recent decades, there has been a steady increase in patients suffering from obesity and diabetes. These are diseases that kill more than 40 million people on our planet every year. This is a very large number, which is only growing from year to year. Compared with the end of the 20th century, the number of people suffering from diabetes and obesity worldwide has become about three times higher. If effective measures are not taken, then by 2100 this figure will increase even more, and the world will face a real pandemic of non-communicable diseases.

The main source of these diseases is malnutrition: excessive consumption of high-calorie foods containing a large amount of fat and sugar in the composition. In this paper, we would like to pay special attention to added sugar, which actively promotes weight gain due to its high energy value and low level of body saturation. Today, in grocery stores, it is difficult to find a product of industrial production, where there is no refined sugar. It is contained even in such daily diet products as bread, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, muesli, cereals, which, it would seem, do not need additional flavor enhancers. Added sugar can go by different names, such as corn syrup, which is actually sugar, instead of added sugar. That is why this substance is very easy to eat in excessive quantities.

However, the question of the dangers of refined sugar for humans, of the negative consequences of its regular consumption on the body, has so far been very little studied in international science, and has practically not been developed at all in Russia. Although the effect that sweet taste has on the human brain can be compared to addiction. Therefore, the goals of this work are to study the reaction of the brain to added sugar, to determine how sugar affects the psyche and physical health of a person. In this regard, the following tasks can be set as part of the work:

- providing characteristics of the chemical properties of refined sugar;

- study and analysis of scientific literature on the formation of addiction with regular consumption of sugary foods;

- comparison of the reaction of the brain of animals and humans to sweet taste based on experiments;

- establishing the mental and physical consequences of including food with added sugar in the daily diet;

- study of the effect of refined sugar on the human body in stressful situations;

- analysis of existing measures to counteract the spread of non-communicable diseases;

- development of new ways and a comprehensive strategy to reduce the consumption of refined sugar.

Chapter 1
What is sugar?

Refined sugar is a white, crumbly substance that adds a sweet taste to foods and drinks. It is a product of industrial production, that is, by itself, it is not found in nature in food of natural origin. At the same time, sugar or sucrose in its chemical properties is an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Sucrose itself is a disaccharide, that is, it consists of two parts: glucose and fructose, and these monosaccharides are simple carbohydrates.

Let's take a closer look at two elements that make up sucrose, and one of them is glucose. Glucose molecules are quickly absorbed: they are excreted by the body from the food consumed and absorbed in the small intestine, after which, entering the bloodstream, they give the body a large boost of energy. When donating blood to check the level of sugar in the human body, it is the amount of glucose that is analyzed. When glucose is consumed, hormones are activated, in particular, insulin is released [1]. This hormone is produced by the pancreas and its main function is to lower blood glucose levels. Excess glucose, with the help of insulin, is converted into glycogen, which is deposited in the liver and which is broken down during fasting or muscle exercise.

Fructose is found in many plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, berries, honey, and is sweeter in taste than glucose. At the same time, our body can absorb fructose only through the liver: this is the only organ that can process it. Therefore, fructose is deposited in the liver, converted into hepatic glycogen, and, unlike glucose, has little effect on the hormone insulin. Thus, the body does not receive much energy from the digestion of fructose, and therefore "the consumption of fructose does not lead to the degree of satiety that usually occurs when eating a meal with the same calorie content of glucose" [2]. Therefore, given the choice, it is better to give preference to foods with a higher content of glucose than fructose. Therefore, to saturate the body more, it is worth eating, for example, buckwheat or rice with vegetables than some kind of fruit, because in this way the diet will be more balanced, and the feeling of hunger will come much later.

Can sugar lead to addiction?

As a result of a number of studies, it was found that the reaction of the brain and nervous system when taking drugs and certain types of food, in particular sugar, is the same [3]. When using drugs, the brain gives the body signals that they cause pleasant sensations: certain chemical compounds are produced - endorphins. However, gradually the receptors cease to respond in the same way to the initial volumes of consumed psychotropic substances, as the body begins to adapt to them, a change in consciousness occurs. As a result, the brain requires an increase in dose. Therefore, the increase in volumes of “consumption is a characteristic feature of drug abuse”[4].

The mechanism described above applies similarly to the consumption of refined sugar. Scientists conducted a series of experiments on rats, which were given sugar syrup in certain quantities. Before the start of the experiments, the animals were given a certain dose of a drink containing sugar, but later the rats themselves could, using a special device, press the lever to obtain a predetermined amount of sweet liquid. According to the results of the experiment, it was revealed that “behavioral results with sugar consumption are similar to those observed with drug abuse” [5] due to the fact that the animals regularly pressed the lever and received sugar, they did not take long breaks from this. The rats become "addicted" to sweets, because in the first days of the experiments they consumed much less sugar than at the end of the experiment. That is, the dose of the drink was increased by them, they wanted more, increasingly resorting to the use of leverage to obtain a sugar drink.

At the same time, when rats were denied access to sweet liquids, they began to have a "withdrawal syndrome": such somatic signs as "teeth chattering, tremor of the front paws and shaking of the head" [6] appeared, they could not fully control their behavior, and also they became more anxious, restless. This is another similarity between the constant use of drugs and sugar: if they stop taking them, the body reacts negatively, signs of apathy appear and a breakdown occurs.

The same reaction can be observed in real life: if a person eats a lot of sweets every day (more than 30 grams of refined sugar), then it is very difficult for him to stop using it. When you try to stop, switch to healthier foods, there is an acute desire to eat something sweet, to feel this taste. This sensation is required by the human brain, which protests against any restrictions and changes in eating habits. Indeed, it is often very difficult to resist this strong desire to succumb to temptation, because it seems that the body requires sweet food. However, this is a misleading impression, as it signals that the body lacks some nutrients, certain vitamins and/or minerals. Therefore, when trying to reduce the consumption of refined sugar, difficulties arise, and they are associated precisely with the positive reaction of the brain to the sweet taste.

Thus, based on theoretical developments and studies, we can conclude that the brain's reaction to drugs and sugar has many similarities: the brain encourages their use by releasing endorphins, over time the body needs to increase the amount consumed, and also in the absence of regular access the body reacts to sugar, which is expressed in a bad mood, weakness, lethargy, and also in the desire to repeat the intake of a sugar “dose”. Added sugar leads to an addiction comparable to a drug, although sugar does not change the mind, it psychologically affects the brain, contributing to the constant and excessive consumption of products containing it.

Chapter 2
2.1. Effects of Sugar on Mental Health and the Nervous System

There is a legend that sugar is good for the brain. Following this testament, many people eat chocolate before an important exam, drink sugary drinks when they are nervous, in the hope that this will give additional energy and stabilize their emotional state. After eating sugar, the body produces the hormone insulin, designed to stabilize glucose levels, but after a short time, the amount of this hormone quickly decreases, and there is a desire to eat something sweet again. There is a vicious circle from which it is difficult to get out. It must be taken into account that the average person consumes refined sugar in their diet almost every day, and some people even several times a day, because it is difficult for them to stop, as signals come from the brain that they need to feel a pleasant sweet taste. Therefore, there are constant jumps in insulin, and, as a result, mood changes.

When a person is nervous or stressed, he often prefers to eat or drink something that tastes good to him in order to reduce the amount of negative emotions. Moreover, as a rule, people in these cases choose foods that “usually contain a lot of sugar and fat” [7], that is, simple carbohydrates that provide a quick energy boost. There is currently no generally accepted and reasoned explanation for the choice of these particular products in science. Undoubtedly, for a short period of time, namely at the moment of taking sweet food and a few minutes after, there is an effect when the brain releases endorphins in response to the sweet taste, but it quickly passes, and the brain requires once again to resort to this means of short-term saturation. . Therefore, products with added sugar can help to cope with stress only for an extremely short period, but in the long term, regular consumption of it leads to a deterioration in mood, loss of energy, and can even lead to depression [8]. This cumulative effect of sugary foods and drinks negatively affects a person's emotional state.

When people experience inner feelings, their body produces the hormone cortisol, designed to reduce stress levels. It may be enough to stabilize the emotional state in a tense situation and calm down. The body has no real need for refined sugar as an additional source of stress reduction. In addition, “human consumption of sucrose reduces the stress-induced increase in circulating cortisol levels” [9]. That is, sugar neutralizes a hormone that positively affects the nervous system. This indicates that sugar does not work for a person, but against him, preventing the body from coping with difficulties on its own.

The pattern of behavior when a person resorts to the consumption of products containing refined sugar at the slightest stress can lead to excessive consumption of sugar and, as a result, obesity or diabetes. The brain certainly needs energy, but it does not have a vital need for industrially created substances. All useful substances for normal functioning, our body can get from glucose, which is found in natural foods: in vegetables, cereals, legumes, cereals and others. Refined sugar is not necessary for our brain to study, work and solve all the daily worries, because our body is perfectly able to cope with them on its own. In case of stress, the body secretes the necessary hormones that reduce stress and normalize a person’s mood. Sugar neutralizes these positive effects, disrupting the normal functioning of the body. Thus, sugar negatively affects the human nervous system and brain.

2.2. The effect of sugar on physical health

1. Sugar leads to metabolic disorders and contributes to the development of obesity. This substance leads to dependence and the desire to consume it on an ongoing basis. For many people, it becomes a habit that is next to impossible to break. Since the energy value of sugar is high, that is, it contains a lot of calories, and after eating it, the feeling of fullness does not last long, since sugar belongs to the group of simple carbohydrates, a person feels the need for regular, frequent consumption of it. This leads to an excess of calories received by the body and the inability to absorb all the glucose received by the body, so most of it is deposited in fat cells. Such an accumulation disrupts the metabolism, and leads to a stable and rapid weight gain. If a person is not able to get rid of the habit of constant consumption of sugar, body fat will only increase, and body weight control will be lost, which, in the worst cases, can lead to obesity when the body mass index is equal to or more than 30.

2. Sugar leads to diabetes. When glucose enters our body daily and frequently, the hormone insulin, which is produced in order to maintain a stable blood sugar level, stops working as it should. Excessive consumption of added sugar can lead to dysfunction of the pancreas, which produces insulin, which contributes to the development of insulin resistance. In this case, a person may not even be overweight. Insulin constantly rises and falls, there are jumps of this hormone in the body, which cannot but affect the health of a person who, in appearance, is completely healthy. As a result of regular abundant consumption of simple carbohydrates, insulin becomes unable to fully perform its main function, its work is disrupted, it becomes insufficient. This results in glucose not being absorbed properly. Lack of insulin leads to hyperglycemia and the development of a disease such as diabetes mellitus.

3. Regularly exceeding the normal amount of added sugar per day (7-9 teaspoons per day or approximately 30 grams) negatively affects the body's cardiovascular system. According to a study by scientists [10], if the daily diet of an adult consists of 20% of foods containing added sugar, then the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases increases by almost 40%, in contrast to people who consume twice every day. less of the same substance. This is another argument in favor of the fact that the amount of refined sugar should be reduced.

4. Added sugar contributes to premature skin aging. In our body, the process of protein glycation is constantly carried out, which consists in the combination of sugars and proteins in our body and which intensifies over time. However, people themselves speed up this process by consuming excessive amounts of added sugar daily. Proteins that have already undergone glycation cannot perform some important functions, in particular, the basement membranes of blood vessels lose their elasticity properties, “that is, they become immobilized” [11]. In the case of excessive intake of simple carbohydrates in the body, the level of glucose in the blood rises, so there are more and more glycated proteins, therefore the number of inelastic vessels also increases. The manifestations of these and other internal processes as a result of excessive consumption of sugar are reflected in the outer layer of human skin, which prematurely becomes inflamed, wrinkled and pigmented.

Chapter 3. Measures to reduce the consumption of refined sugar
3.1. Development plans created by international organizations
To date, the World Health Organization
(hereinafter - WHO) and the United Nations Organization (hereinafter - UN) have developed several documents that include programs to improve public health:

1) In 2004, the World Health Assembly adopted the Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. It affirms that “the prevention of noncommunicable diseases is a major global public health challenge”[12]. That is, the international community recognizes the existence of this problem and considers it universal. At the same time, oddly enough, an increase in the incidence of diabetes and obesity due to malnutrition is noted in groups with middle and low income levels. This indicates that it is cheap food that these groups of people prefer and that can be prepared in minutes at home or in fast food restaurants, is consumed on a regular basis, and it is one of the main factors in the development of diabetes and obesity. Such food contains a lot of salt, refined fats, sugar and is a source of almost no nutrients, which adversely affects the human body.

At the same time, the Global Strategy is an act of "soft law", that is, a soft law document that does not establish mandatory rules of conduct and which does not fix sanctions in case of their non-fulfillment. One of the key goals of this strategy is to raise awareness of the importance of proper nutrition, that is, it establishes that it would be a good idea to eat less salt and sugar in the diet and move more. However, these exploratory claims are not really effective enough to significantly reduce the rise in noncommunicable diseases. The global strategy does not establish specific preventive ways to reduce the consumption of foods that lead to the development of these diseases, in particular foods containing added sugar.

2) In 2016, the WHO published the “Introductory Report at the 47th meeting of the WHO National Academy of Medicine on the topic “Obesity and Diabetes: A Delayed Catastrophe”[13], where the problem of the growth of noncommunicable diseases was presented. The report stated that “cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide”[14], and overweight and obesity increase the risk of their occurrence and development. That is, a high-calorie diet containing a large amount of sugar becomes the main cause of obesity, which can lead to cardiovascular diseases. The correlation in this case is obvious.

At the same time, according to WHO data for 2016, almost 2 billion people, that is, ¼ of the world's population, aged 18 years and over were overweight, of which more than 650 million were diagnosed with obesity. These are huge numbers behind which are real people suffering from excess weight. This is a deadly diagnosis that requires treatment. States must take real action in the field of public health to prevent a further increase in the number of people suffering from overweight, otherwise by 2100 half the world's population will suffer from diabetes and obesity.

3) The UN has set the Sustainable Development Goals - it is a plan to achieve a better future for all. This wording sounds impressive enough. In particular, one of the targets from Goal 3, which sounds like “ensuring healthy lifestyles and promoting well-being for all at all ages”[15], is “reducing by one third premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases by 2030”[16] . It is obvious that this task will, unfortunately, not be fulfilled, since it is impossible to achieve such results in less than 8 years, given that at the moment there is only an increase in these diseases in most countries: for example, in the period “from 1975 to 2016, the number of obese people worldwide has more than tripled.

3.2. A Comprehensive Strategy to Reduce Refined Sugar Consumption
Unfortunately, the number of people suffering from diabetes and overweight is increasing, but it is possible and necessary to act for the future, and now take real actions to prevent the development of these deadly diseases at the state level for the sake of the health of future generations. These include, in particular:

1) fixing the goal of ensuring a healthy lifestyle and well-being of the population by reducing the consumption of refined sugar at the national level as a task of the state, at least for several years. That is, this goal can be formalized in the format of a regulatory legal act or by-law, where it is necessary to carefully prescribe the measures taken to reduce the production and consumption of sugar for a specific period. After the end of the program period, for example, in 5 years, the state should produce a report on the results achieved. After that, the validity of such a document should be extended or such a law should be adopted again, updating the tasks and measures to reduce sugar consumption.

The advantage of such a scheme is that a formally adopted document will be binding on public authorities pursuing health policy. This seems to be an effective measure, since with the help of public authorities it will be possible, at a minimum, to increase the awareness of citizens regarding the harm caused by the regular consumption of added sugar, and to start an advocacy program to reduce its consumption. Thus, with the official fixing of the goal of improving the health of the population, there will be a legal basis for the implementation of measures to ensure a healthy lifestyle.

2) In addition, in the presence of such a document, it will be possible to hold events and actions of an “anti-sugar” orientation: you can make information and educational exhibitions, organize open lectures in libraries, museums, open spaces about the dangers of added sugar and the negative consequences for mental and physical health, which it causes to a person with regular use. Talks and discussions can also be held in schools, training colleges and institutions of higher education so that children and adolescents are aware from an early age on a topic that directly affects their health and may be able to offer their own innovative ideas for reducing the consumption of sugary foods. The interactive format of the above events, with the addition of presentations, videos, slideshows and quizzes, will help to make such "anti-sugar" actions more understandable and contribute to the involvement of a wider audience in the discussion.

3) Another way to reduce people's consumption of refined sugar can be an economic measure: changes in product labeling. In particular, it is possible to establish a requirement for the mandatory indication of the amount of added sugar in products. That is, the packaging should indicate how many grams or teaspoons of sugar are contained in the product. This measure will help people become aware of the amount of sugar they will consume if they eat or drink the appropriate product, as people will be able to visualize this amount in a specific unit of measure. I would like to note that at present, the vast majority of manufacturers do not indicate such information on products, limiting themselves only to the fact that the presence of sugar is prescribed in the composition. Due to the lack of specific grams, the consumer does not know exactly how much added sugar is contained in a particular product.

4) In addition, another way to reduce sugar consumption could be to change the format of rewarding people for their achievements. So, if a person wins a contest, or wins an award at a conference, or wins a sports competition, or performs some other outstanding act, don't give him a box of chocolates or other sweet gift as a prize. It is necessary to change this chain when an achievement is followed by a reward in the form of
something sweet. There is no need for this, given, firstly, the harm of refined sugar, and, secondly, the presence of many other material and useful rewards that are no less pleasant than a sweet prize.

Conclusion

The problem of increasing incidence of obesity and diabetes mellitus today is global. These are real medical diagnoses that require complex treatment, and not the need to go on a diet. The main factor contributing to their development is refined sugar, which has a high calorie content. The main danger of its consumption is that the effects that this substance has on the body may not be visible to the naked eye. They will appear after many years of following such a lifestyle, when it will be too late to take preventive measures. These negative consequences will be expressed in the presence of real medical diagnoses: diabetes, obesity or cardiovascular disease. If you reduce or completely eliminate refined sugar from the diet, you can significantly reduce the risk of the above diseases and live better and with no health problems. Therefore, it is extremely important to responsibly approach the issue of reducing the consumption of sugary foods around the world.

The calorie content of many products is unreasonably increased due to the addition of sugar to them, which many people subsequently find it difficult to refuse or even reduce their consumption, because due to spikes in insulin, the brain needs to repeat the sugar “dose”. At the same time, refined sugar has not gained such negative fame as, for example, narcotic substances, alcohol and tobacco products, although the brain's reaction to sweet taste is similar to its reaction to the above substances, since refined sugar is also addictive and the desire to consume it as often as possible . Therefore, it is necessary to carefully study the problem of excessive sugar consumption, conduct scientific research and experiments, inform as many people as possible about its existence, promote the introduction of plant-based products into the diet, develop strategies at the state level in the field of nutrition and human health, so that the 22nd century does not become a period of in the history of mankind, when people die en masse from diabetes and obesity.

 

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