tamarian
Mon, Aug-09-04, 19:18
Press Release Source: American Sugar Alliance
Industry Analyst Tells International Sweetener Symposium: U.S. Sugar Consumption Ready to Rebound; Low-Carb Fad Fizzling
Monday August 9, 1:57 pm ET
VAIL, Colo., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A U.S. sugar industry analyst told an international sweetener industry conference here today that U.S. sugar consumption is showing signs of rebounding, saying that the recent trend of several years of decline "may have reached its trough" and that the "the low- carbohydrate diet craze may be fading."
Craig Ruffolo, vice president of McKeany-Flavell, a commodities research firm based in Oakland, California, said that "reversing the downward trend in U.S. sugar consumption will hinge on three pivotal factors: sound science, changing demographics, and sugar containing product imports."
Ruffolo was addressing the International Sweetener Symposium being held here this week. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), the national coalition of growers, processors and refiners of sugarbeets and sugarcane, accounting for 146,000 American jobs in 19 states.
Ruffolo said sound science should provide "sound answers to the diet versus exercise problem, and question the healthfulness of low-carb diets." He cited scientific research, stating, "Low-carbohydrate diets conflict decades of solid scientific research ... Restricting carbohydrates stresses vital organs while offering no advantages in terms of either fat loss or long- term weight control." Ruffolo cited evidence that lack of exercise is a major factor in weight gain.
With regard to changing demographics, Ruffolo said that the rising Hispanic percentage of the U.S. population is a positive because of that ethnic group's relative high levels of per capita sugar consumption. He expressed concern, however, about rising imports of sugar-containing products, as some U.S. food manufacturers have joined in the exodus of manufacturing operations to countries with lower labor costs.
Ruffolo concluded, nonetheless, "We are close to reversing the downward trend" in U.S. sugar consumption.
For more information on U.S. sugar policy visit http://www.sugaralliance.org.
Source: American Sugar Alliance
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040809/dcm042_1.html
Industry Analyst Tells International Sweetener Symposium: U.S. Sugar Consumption Ready to Rebound; Low-Carb Fad Fizzling
Monday August 9, 1:57 pm ET
VAIL, Colo., Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- A U.S. sugar industry analyst told an international sweetener industry conference here today that U.S. sugar consumption is showing signs of rebounding, saying that the recent trend of several years of decline "may have reached its trough" and that the "the low- carbohydrate diet craze may be fading."
Craig Ruffolo, vice president of McKeany-Flavell, a commodities research firm based in Oakland, California, said that "reversing the downward trend in U.S. sugar consumption will hinge on three pivotal factors: sound science, changing demographics, and sugar containing product imports."
Ruffolo was addressing the International Sweetener Symposium being held here this week. The Symposium is sponsored by the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), the national coalition of growers, processors and refiners of sugarbeets and sugarcane, accounting for 146,000 American jobs in 19 states.
Ruffolo said sound science should provide "sound answers to the diet versus exercise problem, and question the healthfulness of low-carb diets." He cited scientific research, stating, "Low-carbohydrate diets conflict decades of solid scientific research ... Restricting carbohydrates stresses vital organs while offering no advantages in terms of either fat loss or long- term weight control." Ruffolo cited evidence that lack of exercise is a major factor in weight gain.
With regard to changing demographics, Ruffolo said that the rising Hispanic percentage of the U.S. population is a positive because of that ethnic group's relative high levels of per capita sugar consumption. He expressed concern, however, about rising imports of sugar-containing products, as some U.S. food manufacturers have joined in the exodus of manufacturing operations to countries with lower labor costs.
Ruffolo concluded, nonetheless, "We are close to reversing the downward trend" in U.S. sugar consumption.
For more information on U.S. sugar policy visit http://www.sugaralliance.org.
Source: American Sugar Alliance
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040809/dcm042_1.html