Limiting a child's sugar consumption until the age of two could help protect them against developing dementia later in life, according to a study published in the journal Neurology. Researchers found that pregnant women who avoid sugary foods can also significantly slash their child's risk of developing the memory-robbing disease.
The study, led by Professor Jiazhen Zheng from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, compared the health outcomes of over 64,000 individuals born before and after World War II sugar rationing in the United Kingdom. Participants were categorized based on their exposure to sugar rationing during critical developmental periods: before birth and during their first year, before birth and up to two years old, or no sugar rationing.
Analysis of medical records, starting when participants reached an average age of 55, tracked dementia diagnoses over the subsequent 15 years. The findings indicated that individuals who did not have access to sugar before birth and in their first two years of life had a notably lower incidence of dementia. Specifically, of the 15,256 participants in this group, only two percent developed the condition.
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, and high blood pressure, results showed that those who experienced sugar rationing had up to a 23% lower risk of dementia compared to those born after 1953, when sugar became more widely available. Furthermore, individuals with low sugar intake in early life developed dementia approximately two and a half years later than those who consumed more sugar.
Brain scans of participants with lower early-life sugar intake revealed less brain tissue damage and a greater volume of grey matter, which is associated with better cognitive function and memory. These findings suggest that limiting added sugars during pregnancy and infancy could be a beneficial step for long-term brain health.
While the study does not conclusively prove a direct causal link between lower sugar intake and dementia prevention, experts note that the results align with a growing body of evidence indicating sugar's impact on brain function. Elevated blood sugar levels have been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, potentially by damaging blood vessel linings in the brain and altering proteins into toxic forms that kill brain cells. Maternal health, including obesity, is also known to influence offspring's health and can increase the likelihood of diabetes, a risk factor for dementia.