How can high blood sugar make arteriosclerosis?

Two theories on this:

1.    Sugar is a powerful oxidizer. Anyone that has used sugar in cooking can attest to this. The theory is that high blood sugar levels oxidize LDL particles which makes them particularly nasty in the body. Since LDL is usually at the scene of the arterial plaque crime it is theorized that these oxidized particles are the problem.

2.    This one is indirect. It is the link between high blood sugar and high levels of insulin. Too much insulin in the body can be a major problem and can drive inflammation and arterial damage. There was a study done where the legs of dogs were either injected with insulin or a saline solution. The legs injected with insulin showed aterial plaque formation.