Sugar's effects on the body, brain and eating behavior
What it found
High sugar intake is linked to obesity, metabolic syndrome and inflammatory diseases in people.
It may also change brain reward pathways and drive compulsive overeating.
What they found
Studies in people
Linked health conditions
High sugar intake is associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome and inflammatory diseases.
Studies in people and animals
Brain reward changes
Eating too much sugar may alter the brain's reward system. These changes can separate eating habits from actual energy needs and lead to compulsive overeating.
Other findings
Taste and reward
Sugar tastes very good and feels rewarding because of both its flavor and the energy it provides.
What the authors conclude
- They aim to show how sugar affects the body, brain and behavior to explain its link to addictive eating patterns.
- They suggest that excessive sugar intake can trigger brain changes that drive compulsive overeating and poor health.
How it was done
The authors wanted to explain how and why sugar has been linked to addictive behaviors and poor health outcomes. They aimed to connect its effects on the body, brain and behavior using recent evidence.
They gathered and examined recent research on how sugar affects the body, brain and behavior. The summary does not state how many studies were included or who was studied.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Because this work gathers existing research rather than running a controlled trial, it cannot prove that sugar directly causes these health problems.
- The summary does not specify whether the underlying studies were done in people, animals or cells, so the findings may not all apply to shoppers.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, USA; National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, genejack
The paper
- Title
- Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Freeman CR, Zehra A, Ramirez V, Wiers CE, Volkow ND, Wang GJ (2018). Impact of sugar on the body, brain, and behavior. Frontiers in bioscience (Landmark edition). doi:10.2741/4704PubMed 29772560DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error