Can the amount of sugar a baby is exposed to before birth influence memory decades later? A new study published in Neurology suggests it might.
Researchers found that people who experienced lower sugar intake during pregnancy and early childhood were less likely to develop dementia and tended to develop it later in life.
The earliest stages of life are critical for brain development. During pregnancy and the first two years after birth, the brain grows faster than at almost any other time. Nutrition during this period provides the building blocks needed for healthy brain cells and brain connections.
Researchers used a natural experiment created by World War II sugar rationing in the United Kingdom. Because sugar was limited until 1953, babies born before rationing ended were exposed to much less added sugar than those born afterward.
The study included 64,737 people. Some experienced sugar restriction before birth and during their first year, some until age two, and others were born after rationing ended. Medical records were then used to identify dementia over the following 15 years.
After accounting for differences such as age, sex, diabetes and high blood pressure, researchers found that early-life sugar restriction was linked with a 21% to 23% lower risk of dementia. Those with lower sugar exposure also developed dementia an average of 2.6 years later.
Researchers also examined brain scans in a smaller group. They found larger amounts of grey matter and lower levels of white matter damage, both signs generally associated with healthier brain ageing.
Scientists believe excess sugar may affect brain health through inflammation, poor metabolic health and blood vessel damage, although the exact biological mechanisms remain under investigation.
The authors caution that the research does not prove cause and effect. Because it relied on historical events instead of a controlled trial, other environmental and social factors could also explain part of the association.
Even so, the findings support existing advice that pregnant women and young children should avoid excessive added sugar and focus on balanced diets rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and other nutritious foods.
Overall, this research suggests that nutrition during pregnancy and infancy may have lifelong effects on brain health. Although further studies are required before firm public health recommendations can be made, the results strengthen the growing evidence that reducing added sugar early in life may help support healthier brain ageing.
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Source: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
