[Does sugar play a role in the development of gastroenterologic diseases (Crohn disease, gallstones, cancer)?].

The consumption of cane- and beet-sugars per person has today reached a level of 100 g per day. In a discussion of the role of sugar in gastrointestinal diseases there must be a differentiation between a direct effect directly related to high sugar-consumption, and an indirect effect where sugar displaces other nutritive substances in the diet. Not only epidemiological, but also experimental data support that sugar has no direct, toxicological, carcinogenic or disease-inducing disposition for gastroenterological diseases. Investigating several diseases (e.g. M. Crohn) a final determination could not be made, but there is strong indication that an overconsumption of easily reabsorbable carbohydrates is not responsible for the development of diseases. An indirect, shared responsibility of high sugar consumption and reduced consumption of dietary fiber seems to be likely. Further investigations, for example by dietary tests with constant sugar content at variable consumptions of non-participating substances is necessary before a final judgment can be made. There are no useful data in humans at present, of whether food additives, such as hydrocolloids in confections play a casual role.