New study finds that giving less sugar for kids under two lowers dementia risk
A study of 65,000 people in the UK suggests that limiting sugar intake for children under two years old significantly reduces the risk of developing dementia later in life. Researchers found that early-life nutrition, specifically sugar rationing, correlates with a 21-23% lower risk of dementia and a delayed onset of the condition.
Why it matters
This research highlights the long-term impact of early childhood nutrition on brain health, potentially influencing public health guidelines for infant dietary habits.
Limiting sugar before the age of two is linked to a lower risk of dementia later in life, research suggests.
A study based on almost 65,000 people from Britain found that sugar rationing may be linked to more than a fifth lower chance of dementia.
Experts suggested exposure to sugar in the womb and early life may affect how the baby receives nutrients as well as metabolic processes.
The new study used UK Biobank data, which includes people exposed to sugar rationing as a result of the Second World War.
In 1940, the British government began rationing certain foods, including sugar, and this lasted until 1953.
Previous studies on the same group found they were less likely to suffer conditions such as heart attack, heart failure and stroke if they had little sugar in early childhood and if their mothers had little sugar in pregnancy.
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