A spoonful of sugar (Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash)
Study suggests that children are far less likely to battle diabetes or hypertension as adults when they’re not exposed to added sugars early in life
LOS ANGELES — When Britain introduced sugar rationing in 1942, they were trying to manage wartime shortages. Eight decades later, that policy has helped solve one of modern medicine’s most pressing questions about sugar consumption and health.
The study, published in Science, reveals striking evidence that limiting sugar intake in early life could significantly reduce the risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure decades later. By examining data from Britain’s post-World War II sugar rationing program, researchers uncovered that children who experienced sugar restrictions during their first 1,000 days after conception had up to 35% lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and 20% less risk of hypertension as adults.
The timing of this research is particularly relevant given current concerns about sugar consumption. Today’s pregnant women in the United States consume more than three times the recommended amount of added sugar – over 80 grams daily. Meanwhile, most infants and toddlers regularly consume sweetened foods and beverages, despite dietary guidelines recommending zero added sugars during these crucial early years.
The study, led by researchers from the University of Southern California, McGill University, and UC Berkeley, took advantage of what scientists call a “natural experiment” – a rare opportunity where external circumstances create two similar groups whose only major difference is the factor being studied.
“Studying the long-term effects of added sugar on health is challenging. It is hard to find situations where people are randomly exposed to different nutritional environments early in life and follow them for 50 to 60 years,” says study author Tadeja Gracner, a senior economist at the USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research, in a statement. “The end of rationing provided us with a novel natural experiment to overcome these problems.”
During the rationing period, sugar allowances were strictly limited to levels that coincidentally match today’s dietary guidelines – around 40 grams for adults and 15 grams for children, with no sugar recommended for children under two. When rationing suddenly ended in September 1953, sugar consumption nearly doubled almost overnight, jumping from 41 grams to about 80 grams per day for the average adult.
The researchers analyzed data from over 60,000 participants born between October 1951 and March 1956. They tracked their health outcomes into their 50s and 60s, focusing particularly on the development of Type 2 diabetes and hypertension. The timing of sugar exposure proved crucial. While experiencing sugar rationing only during pregnancy provided some protection, the greatest benefits came when sugar restriction continued beyond six months of age – typically when babies start consuming solid foods.
The impact was particularly pronounced in women, who showed greater health benefits than men from postnatal sugar restriction. This gender difference mirrors findings from animal studies showing that females are more susceptible to sugar addiction and disrupted glucose regulation when exposed to high-sugar diets early in life.
The implications of this research are far-reaching, particularly given our current food environment. Today, over 70% of foods marketed to infants and toddlers contain added sugars, whether in formula, foods, or beverages. By age two, many children consume as much sugar as is recommended for adults, and by their teens, they’re consuming nearly triple that amount.
“Sugar early in life is the new tobacco, and we should treat it as such by holding food companies accountable to reformulate baby foods with healthier options and regulate the marketing and tax sugary foods targeted at kids,” suggests study co-author Paul Gertler of UC Berkeley and the National Bureau of Economics Research.
Boone and her co-authors also note the economic impact of the findings. In the United States, people with diabetes incur annual medical expenditures of about $12,000 on average. Furthermore, earlier diagnosis of diabetes significantly reduces life expectancy – for every decade earlier that diabetes is diagnosed, life expectancy drops by three to four years.
Today, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends no more than nine teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day for men, and no more than six teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) of added sugar per day for women. Children and teens shouldn’t consume more than six teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) of added sugar per day, while there should be no added sugars in the diets of children under two.
The research team isn’t stopping here. This study is part of a larger research effort examining how early-life sugar restrictions affected other aspects of adult life, including education, wealth, chronic inflammation, cognitive function, and dementia.
History has a funny way of teaching us lessons we didn’t know we needed to learn. In this case, the sacrifice of sugar during wartime has revealed a recipe for better health that’s worth its weight in gold.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers used what’s called an “event study” approach, comparing two groups: 38,155 people born during rationing (October 1951 to June 1954) and 22,028 born after rationing (July 1954 to March 1956). They tracked these individuals’ health outcomes through the UK Biobank database, particularly focusing on diagnoses of Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
To ensure their findings were specifically related to sugar consumption, they controlled for various factors, including birth month, survey year, birthplace, sex, race, and family history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes. They also analyzed other health conditions unlikely to be affected by sugar intake as a control measure.
Key Results
The study found that exposure to sugar rationing in early life led to a 35% reduction in diabetes risk and a 20% reduction in hypertension risk. The onset of these diseases was delayed by approximately 4 years for diabetes and 2 years for hypertension. Benefits were strongest when sugar restriction lasted beyond 6 months of age. Exposure to rationing during pregnancy alone accounted for about one-third of the total risk reduction. Women showed greater benefits than men, particularly in diabetes risk reduction.
Study Limitations
The UK Biobank participants tend to be wealthier and healthier than the general population, which could affect how broadly applicable the results are. The researchers couldn’t account for deaths that occurred before the study began, and the data couldn’t track participants beyond their current ages. While they controlled for many factors, there could be other unobserved differences between the groups beyond sugar exposure that might influence the results.
Discussion & Takeaways
This study provides strong evidence that limiting sugar exposure in early life can have lasting health benefits. The findings suggest that following current dietary guidelines for sugar restriction during pregnancy and early childhood could significantly reduce the risk of chronic diseases later in life. The research particularly emphasizes the importance of maintaining lower sugar intake beyond six months of age, when solid foods are typically introduced. These results could inform policy discussions about sugar taxation and regulation of infant food marketing.
Funding & Disclosures
The research was supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under multiple award numbers (R01AG065482, P30AG012815, and T32 AG000243). The study used data from the UK Biobank under Application Number 58599. The authors declared no competing interests, and the content represents their views, not necessarily those of the National Institutes of Health.
As a child of the 60’s I think all I ate was sugar. Most of my friends did as well, and it was used as a treat and crazy in the morning for breakfast, then as desert.
So, 50 years later, I want to know is there anything to be done to reverse that. I don’t eat nearly as much sugar, but I do still have cravings for ice cream, cookies, brownies that if they are around me I simply cannot resist or control.
So I do my best to keep sugar stuff out of my sight, but it bothers me even if I see sweets on TV or in a bill board.