By Courtney Gaine, The Daily Caller
April 10, 2015
The dilemma of the low-hanging fruit has plagued mankind since the beginning of time. But history has proven that while it is tempting to address a problem by focusing on the most attainable goal, rather than the most appropriate, it just doesn’t pan out in the long run.
We would be well-advised to remember this as we search for solutions to the ongoing obesity epidemic.
Currently, many purported health advocates are targeting all-natural sugar as public enemy number one in the fight against obesity. And while this tactic might result in a quick win, especially given the negative coverage of all-natural sugar in recent years, it’s an oversimplified approach to a complex problem and simply not supported by scientific evidence and solid data.
Click here to read Dr. Gaine’s full opinion piece at The Daily Caller.
association between added sugars intake and BMI
March 22, 2026
"The Feeding the Economy report affirms the vital role food and agriculture play in our nation’s economic resilience and food security. Commercial bakers have long been proud partners to American agriculture, sourcing 85 percent of their core ingredients from domestic farmers....Sponsoring organizations from the food and agriculture industries, who helped make the 2026 study possible, provided commentary on this year’s findings. The full list of sponsoring organizations includes: ...The Sugar Association"
March 10, 2026
"Courtney Gaine, president and CEO of the Sugar Association, a scientific body that supports the U.S. sugar industry, told the USDA Outlook Forum that the school meal standards taking effect next year might prohibit added sugars in kindergarten meals and could significantly restrict them in other grades. That change alone would cut sugar demand by over 130,000 short tons. The industry faces additional pressure from rising GLP-1 weight-loss drug usage, which jumped from 12% in May 2024 to 18% in November 2025, though Gaine cautioned it remains "premature to assess the impact."
March 3, 2026
"Gaine added, "There is no data to support all this." She said the focus on added sugar is often politically motivated, but food groups have not pushed back on the MAHA pressure. There is a lot of fear of retaliation, and for good reason they have not wanted to push back publicly," Gaine said. "I think it’s going to demand a coordinated, really coordinated, pushing back. Any effort up (until) now has been to go along to get along, and I don’t know if that’s going to work."
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