A RECENT study suggests that limiting sugar intake during early life, including in utero, may significantly reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and hypertension in adulthood. Conducted by a group at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA, the research assessed the health outcomes of adults exposed to early-life sugar rationing in post-war Britain. Results showed that adults who experienced at least 19 months of sugar rationing, either in utero or as infants, had a 38% lower risk of T2D and a 21% lower risk of hypertension compared to those who did not experience rationing.
The research group presented these findings at the ObesityWeek annual conference, noting that in-utero exposure alone accounted for approximately one-third of the reduction in diabetes and hypertension risks. The study highlighted that individuals exposed to rationing from pregnancy through their first year experienced delays in T2D onset by roughly four years and hypertension by two years.
In the study, data from the UK Biobank Resource enabled comparisons between adults born before and after the end of sugar rationing in September 1953. Those born before sugar restrictions ended had markedly lower lifetime sugar exposure, which was found to be associated with health benefits that persisted into later life. Among the 60,183 participants, 38,155 who were conceived before rationing’s end were categorised as “rationed,” while 22,028 born after were deemed “non-rationed.”
Longitudinal data analysis further revealed that diabetes and hypertension risks increased more rapidly among those with minimal early-life sugar restriction, particularly after age 60. The team described the findings as a unique addition to the evidence linking sugar consumption with chronic disease risk.
These findings may bolster current guidelines recommending that sugar comprise less than 10% of adults’ daily intake and that children under two avoid added sugars entirely. The study group emphasised that the “first 1,000 days” are critical for healthy development, and that reducing early sugar exposure could be a significant public health measure.
Reference
Gracner T et al. Exposure to sugar rationing in the first 1000 days of life protected against chronic disease. Science. 2024;DOI:10.1126/science.adn5421.
