European Journal of Nutritionに2016年に掲載されたレビューでは、この概念は民間に普及している一方で裏付けとなるエビデンスの不足から科学的に説得力がなく、公共政策の推奨事項に組み込むことを反対している。
研究のほとんどが動物実験によるものであり信憑性からは程遠く、薬物依存症に重要ないくつかの要素(用量の概念など)が評価されていないことが指摘されている。
人間は砂糖を単独で消費することがほとんどないためデータが不足しており、また甘い食べ物を摂取することでの行動や神経の影響についての文献は砂糖依存症に対してあまりにも間接的すぎるとしている[2]。
^ abcdMargaret L. Westwater; Paul C. Fletcher; Ziauddeen (2016-06-02). “Sugar addiction: the state of the science”. European Journal of Nutrition (Springer Nature) 55: 55-69. doi:10.1007/s00394-016-1229-6.
^Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D. (1998). "Potatoes Not Prozac." Simon & Schuster. ISBN 141655615X
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