High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) accounts for as much as 40% of caloric
sweeteners used in the United States. Some studies have shown that short-term access to HFCS can cause increased
body weight, but the findings are mixed. The current study examined both short- and long-term effects of HFCS on
body weight, body fat, and circulating
triglycerides. In Experiment 1, male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained for short term (8 weeks) on (1) 12 h/day of 8% HFCS, (2) 12 h/day 10%
sucrose, (3) 24 h/day HFCS, all with ad libitum rodent chow, or (4) ad libitum chow alone. Rats with 12-h access to HFCS gained significantly more
body weight than animals given equal access to 10%
sucrose, even though they consumed the same number of total calories, but fewer calories from HFCS than
sucrose. In Experiment 2, the long-term effects of HFCS on
body weight and obesogenic parameters, as well as gender differences, were explored. Over the course of 6 or 7 months, both male and female rats with access to HFCS gained significantly more
body weight than control groups. This increase in
body weight with HFCS was accompanied by an increase in adipose fat, notably in the abdominal region, and elevated circulating
triglyceride levels. Translated to humans, these results suggest that excessive consumption of HFCS may contribute to the incidence of
obesity.