MEASURING THE RISKS OF EARLY-LIFE SUGAR INTAKE
We know that early life nutrition is linked to adult health and a recently published study seems to confirm this by demonstrating a link to dementia and depression as we age.
Leveraging the UK’s historical sugar rationing as a natural experiment, the U.K. Biobank set out to examine whether early-life sugar restriction reduces the risk of neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders in later late.
Among 60,394 UK Biobank participants (born 1951-1956) three groups were established to study the effects of sugar and varying amounts in the diet.
Three groups were defined:
- in-utero only
- in- utero plus 2 years
- non-(sugar) rationed control groups
When compared with non-rationed individuals, those exposed to sugar restriction during the first 1000 days after conception showed a significantly lower risk of all-cause dementia (by 27%), Alzheimer’s Disease (46%), depression (11%) and anxiety (20%).
The study showed that when post-natal restriction of sugar extended beyond 6 months of age, the relationship between the dose amount and the biological response revealed stronger protection against depression and anxiety.
When the results were “sex-stratified” the results showed that women had consistent protective effects from Alhzeimer’s, depression and anxiety. In addition, neuroimaging revealed slower brain aging and other declines in brain function.
These quasi-experimental findings suggest that early-life sugar restriction is associated with attenuated neurobiological aging and lower risks of dementia and psychiatric disorders, highlighting sugar intake as a potential modifiable factor of lifelong brain health.
