Sugar rationing in early childhood linked to 27% lower dementia risk

Research drawing on Britain's wartime experience of food restrictions has revealed a striking connection between early-life sugar consumption and the likelihood of developing dementia in later years.

A newly published study in the journal Neurology, analysing data from 64,737 UK Biobank participants, found that individuals whose sugar intake was curtailed before the age of two faced a 23 per cent reduced risk of dementia compared with those born after rationing ended.

The British Government imposed sugar rationing in 1940, a measure that remained in force until 1953. Scientists leveraged this unique historical circumstance to examine how restricted sugar exposure during infancy and in the womb might shape long-term brain health across an entire generation.

Participants who were exposed to sugar rationing both in utero and throughout their first year had a 21 per cent lower chance of receiving a dementia diagnosis. Extending that restricted period to age two pushed the reduction to 23 per cent.

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Researchers tracked the cohort from an average starting age of 55, monitoring medical records over a period of up to 15 years.

Among the 15,025 individuals rationed before birth and during their first year, 388 went on to develop dementia. Of the 15,256 whose rationing extended to age two, 456 were diagnosed.

By contrast, 504 out of 23,774 people born once rationing had concluded received a dementia diagnosis.

Those who grew up with less sugar also saw the onset of dementia delayed by an average of 2.6 years.

Even after accounting for factors including age, sex, high blood pressure and diabetes, the protective association held firm.

A subset of participants underwent brain imaging, which revealed that those with lower sugar exposure in early life possessed greater total grey matter volume.

They also exhibited fewer white matter "hyperintensities" — a recognised indicator of damage to brain tissue.

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Study author Jiazhen Zheng, from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Guangzhou, said: "Our findings suggest that limiting sugar during the earliest stages of life may have lasting benefits for brain health."

"These results highlight the potential importance of early-life nutrition in reducing the risk of dementia decades later."

Mr Zheng added: "Limiting added sugars during pregnancy and infancy may be one beneficial step that families and communities can take, but further research is needed to better understand how these early exposures influence dementia risk and to guide public health strategies."

Dr Sara Rodrigues, senior research manager at Alzheimer's Research UK, urged caution when interpreting the results.

She said: "However, it's important to remember that this was an observational study. This means it can identify links between diet and dementia risk, but it cannot prove that eating less sugar directly prevents dementia."

She noted that the Lancet Commission, regarded as one of the most thorough assessments of dementia risk, does not presently classify sugar consumption as an independent risk factor.

Dr Rodrigues said: "More research is needed to better understand the potential relationship between sugar intake and the development of dementia."

Her advice remained straightforward: "Eating a healthy, balanced diet is one of the best ways to support your brain health, and it's never too late to make positive changes."

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