(CNN) - A new study found higher rates of type 2 diabetes in
countries where people consume a lot of high-fructose corn
syrup. That's compared to countries with little or no supply of
the sweetener. High-fructose corn syrup is used in a wide
variety of foods and drinks, particularly in soda. University of
Oxford and University of Southern California researchers looked
at data from 43 countries. They found the rate of type 2
diabetes is 20 percent higher in countries where the sweetener
is prevalent. They note it doesn't show a cause and effect, just
a link. The lead author says high-fructose corn syrup appears to
pose a serious public health problem on a global scale. WebMD
quotes the president of the Corn Refiners Association as saying
that just because an ingredient is available in a country's diet
does not mean it is uniquely the cause of a disease. She adds
there's broad scientific consensus that table sugar and high-
fructose corn syrup are nutritionally and metabolically the
same.