(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Fructose may pose a more serious threat to cardiovascular health than glucose, new research suggests.

In a new study conducted at the University of California, Davis, obese individuals consumed beverages sweetened with either fructose or glucose over 10 weeks, which provided 25 percent of their total energy requirements.

Results show individuals who drank fructose-sweetened beverages gained the same amount of weight as those who drank glucose, but fructose clearly reduced the body's sensitivity to insulin. Fructose drinkers also showed a rise in intra-abdominal fat and demonstrated signs of dyslipidemia, which is marked by increased levels of fat-soluble molecules known for making lipids in the body. These are all traits of metabolic syndrome, which increases a person's risk of heart attack.

The long-term affects of large amounts of fructose are not yet known.

The average American consumed 64 kilograms of added sugar in 2005, with soft drinks serving as a large contributor.

SOURCE: Study conducted at UC Davis