( CNN ) -- Just about every time an article about `` sugar '' is published , I get frustrated because of the effort by some to falsely target sugar . Although reporters often ask the Sugar Association for scientific facts and data regarding sugar to use in their stories , the information we provide is rarely included . Often , it 's completely ignored because it does not support the preconceived focus of their article . Thus , a tremendous amount of factual , scientifically verified information about all-natural sugar ( sucrose ) is being left out of today 's conversation . And , sugar , the natural version , is too often confused with the more prevalent man-made sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup . That 's misleading for consumers . And it 's bad for advancing a real debate about solving the serious problem of obesity in America . Opinion : The sweet secret that could kill you . I 'm talking about a legitimate , credible discussion , supported by government data and independent scientific research , not hysteria and misinformation . Those using inflammatory and baseless phrases like `` toxic '' are often more concerned with a sound bite to sensationalize an article or TV appearance , and their claims have more to do with boosting their social media following or selling books than resolving genuine issues of public health . Targeting sugar alone is disingenuous , at best . The most recent example of this trend is a study that appeared in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine , and the media storm that ensued , condemning sugar as a contributing factor to cardiovascular disease . Consider this : The authors of the study itself concede that an observational study like theirs is not proof of cause and effect . The authors fail to note the weakness of the self-reported data they used to estimate intake levels of `` added sugar . '' This inadequacy is demonstrated by the fact that study participants self-reporting higher levels of physical activity had a greater , not the expected lower , risk of cardiovascular disease . And the study 's authors also simplistically lumped together all caloric sweeteners as `` added sugar '' rather than identifying them individually ( more on this in a minute ) . Yet that did n't stop headlines like `` Sugar tied to fatal heart problems '' or `` Eating too much sugar may be killing you . '' Sugar not only makes you fat , it may make you sick . These headlines -- and many others resulting from the study -- underscore the problem consumers are facing when seeking factual information on health . Having worked with the U.S. sugar industry for more than a decade , I am becoming more and more dismayed by those habitually providing a megaphone for what `` some '' folks are saying while barely giving a thought to whether these claims reflect a consensus view that is either prevailing among qualified experts or is scientifically correct . Although obsessing about sugar as `` the '' problem in our diets gives headline writers everywhere the chance to grab our attention with provocative puns , it undermines the worth of important work regarding other dietary and health concerns . It takes the focus and resources away from us supporting scientifically verified , proven interventions dealing with obesity . The fact is that American per capita consumption of real sugar ( sucrose ) is lower now than it was 40 years ago by approximately one-third ( 34 % ) . So of all the things we need to worry about in this world , `` higher '' consumption of sugar is not among them . Because we 've been consuming less of it for decades . And when critics talk about consumption of `` sugar-sweetened '' or `` sugary beverages , '' they are often inaccurately lumping sugar -- from sugar cane and sugar beets -- with man-made sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup . Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup , for example , are different sweeteners . They are molecularly different . With U.S. Department of Agriculture data showing that more than 90 % of the caloric sweetener used in beverages in the United States is such corn syrup , not sugar , how can the media , or anyone , continue to call them `` sugar-sweetened beverages '' ? So Americans just need to remember : Only sucrose , or sugar , is sugar . Sugar has been consumed safely for centuries and , when consumed in moderation , has been and should continue to be part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle . That 's a fact . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andy Briscoe .
Andy Briscoe says media reports involving natural sugar are often misleading . Briscoe contends recent studies linking excess sugar to poor health are inadequate . Too often , he argues , headlines confuse sucrose -- or sugar -- with high-fructose corn syrup .