Less sugar in childhood reduces chronic diseases for life 🍬

A study based on historical data has shown that a diet low in sugar during the earliest years of life can lead to a significant reduction in the risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood.

The authors used data from the UK Biobank, particularly those related to adults conceived just before and after the end of wartime sugar rationing in the United Kingdom (in 1953).


The study, which was published in the journal *Science*, indicates that among children who had a diet low in sugar during their first 1,000 days (including pregnancy), the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood decreases by 35%, and the risk of developing hypertension by nearly 20%. To the authors' surprise, a low sugar intake during fetal growth alone is sufficient to reduce the risk.

Led by the University of Southern California, in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley and McGill University, the study is among the first to provide compelling evidence describing the long-term effects of sugar consumption during the earliest years of human life.

Yesterday's rationing, today's guideline

During wartime rationing in World War II and several years thereafter, adults consumed less than 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of sugar per day, and children under two consumed no sugar at all. However, sugar intake skyrocketed after rationing ended, and this stark contrast allows scientists to study sugar's effects.

"It's interesting to note that the sugar rations of that time align with current recommendations. Our study suggests that if parents followed these guidelines, their children could reap major health benefits," says Claire Boone, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and the Department of Equity, Ethics, and Policy at McGill University and co-author of the study.

Although Health Canada recommends a diet with little or no added sugar for children under two years old, the current Food and Drugs Act does not limit added sugar in infant foods, prescribing strict limits only for salt and food additives.

A "natural experiment" revealing long-term effects

According to Prof. Boone, studying nutrition is particularly challenging because it is hard to control diets over extended periods and track outcomes precisely. "This is why there are so many conflicting conclusions in research," she explains. "This natural experiment allows us to observe the long-term effects of sugar intake in a real-world context, giving the public a much clearer picture of the situation."

While measures such as sugar taxes and stricter regulations on sugary foods for young children remain topics of debate, the study's findings add to the growing body of evidence showing that early-life nutrition has lifelong health effects.

Prof. Boone adds that the next phase of the research will focus on the effect of early-life sugar intake on inflammation and cancer risk.

The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute on Aging. The article "Exposure to Sugar Rationing in the First 1000 Days of Life Protected Against Chronic Disease," by Tadeja Gracner, Claire Boone, and Paul J. Gertler, was published in the journal *Science*.