Effects of free access to sugar solutions on the control of energy intake

Energy balance is achieved as the result of both central and peripheral regulators working together. Sugar intake can cause a disruption in energy balance that can increase the risk of the onset of obesity. In this review, we will discuss the relationship between sugar consumption and obesity. We have summarized the current evidence that shows how sugars, typically sugar-sweetened solutions, affect the control of energy intake. Solution consumption affects both peripheral (triglycerides, glucocorticoids, and adiposity hormone) and central (typically hypothalamus) mechanisms. We have concluded this review with an attempt to explain how sugar consumption induces changes in body weight that lead to obesity and/or associated metabolic diseases.