http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/06/25/sweet-science-how-our-brain-reacts-to-sugary-tastes.aspx"Sweetie," "Sugar," and "Honey." There's a reason we call our loved ones flavor-derived nicknames. "We're all born liking sweet tastes," says Dr. Alexei B. Kampov-Polevoi, a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. "It'senCommunityServer 2.1 SP2 (Debug Build: 2.18)http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thehumancondition/archive/2009/06/25/sweet-science-how-our-brain-reacts-to-sugary-tastes.aspx#1072311Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:09:51 GMT544c64cf-7058-4151-925a-a0fd041e73dd:1072311Liz Applegate<p> This article brings to light many important issues about sweeteners. &nbsp;As a faculty member in the nutrition department at UC Davis as well as a consultant for food and beverage companies, I find it vital that consumers understand that obesity is a complex issue with no one cause. &nbsp;The expert Barry Popkin cited in this article suggests that sugared beverages are linked to increasing waistlines. &nbsp;In fact, while the number of obese children, teens and adults have increased over the past decade, our consumption of soft drinks has declined nearly 10% from 2000 to 2008 (American Beverage Association data). &nbsp;This decline in the face of rising obesity underscores that we must look beyond a &quot;one food or beverage&quot; cause for obesity. &nbsp;Regular physical activity combined with a healthy diet (which can include sugar in moderation) is key. &nbsp;Our focus must shift away from this one food approach and build the concept of</p> <p>a healthy lifestyle.</p> <p>LIz &nbsp;Applegate, PhD</p> <p>Director of Sports Nutrition</p> <p>Nutrition Department</p> <p>UC Davis</p> Blog: The Human Condition