A small, intensive health study at the University of California-San Francisco and Touro University has shown that obese children could improve their health in only a few days just by substituting sugar for starch.
The researchers monitored a wide range of health signs in 43 children, from blood pressure to bone density.
After replacing 10 to 28 percent of refined sugar in the kids' diet for equivalent calories in starch, blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels dropped in just 10 days, and other health factors improved.
The participants also lost an average of two pounds during that period, and their insulin levels normalized.
Researchers say the study gives a close look at the link between sugar and health factors in children.
It also shows that the risks of eating excess sugar are not limited to the increased count in calories.