Limiting sugar intake before the age of two is associated with a significantly lower risk of developing dementia later in life, according to new research. The UK-based study, which analysed data from nearly 65,000 individuals, suggests that exposure to reduced sugar levels during early childhood may lead to more than a 20% decrease in dementia risk.
The research examined the effects of sugar rationing introduced by the British government during the Second World War. From 1940 to 1953, sugar was rationed in the UK, providing a unique opportunity to study how early-life sugar intake impacts long-term health. Earlier studies of the same population found that low sugar consumption during pregnancy and early childhood corresponded with reduced risks of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
Published in the journal Neurology, the current study focused on 64,737 individuals born either during or after the sugar rationing period. The findings revealed that those who experienced sugar rationing prenatally and during their first year had a 21% lower chance of developing dementia compared to those born after rationing ceased. This protective effect increased to a 23% reduction among individuals who experienced sugar restrictions up to the age of two.
READ MORE: Mike Tindall Reacts Amusingly to Zara and Princess Anne’s Clothing Suggestion
READ MORE: Gloucester Couple Celebrate 60th Wedding Anniversary on Same Day as 1966 World Cup Final
Furthermore, the onset of dementia was delayed by an average of 2.6 years in those with early-life sugar reduction.
“Our findings suggest that limiting sugar during the earliest stages of life may have lasting benefits for brain health,” commented Jiazhen Zheng from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the study’s lead author. “These results highlight the potential importance of early-life nutrition in reducing the risk of dementia decades later.”
Medical records starting when participants were around 55 years old were analysed over a 15-year period. Among 15,025 individuals exposed to sugar rationing before birth and during their first year, 388 developed dementia. Similarly, of 15,256 participants with sugar rationing exposure before birth and up to age two, 456 were diagnosed with dementia, compared to 504 cases out of 23,774 people born after rationing ended.
Adjusting for factors such as age, sex, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the study confirmed that early-life sugar rationing was linked to a dementia risk reduction exceeding 20%. Brain imaging conducted on a subset of participants showed that individuals with lower sugar intake in early life had greater grey matter volume and fewer white matter hyperintensities, which are indicators of brain tissue damage.
Mr Zheng added: “Limiting added sugars during pregnancy and infancy could be a beneficial step for families and communities. However, further research is necessary to fully understand how early nutritional exposures influence dementia risk and to inform public health policies.”
Dr Sara Rodrigues, Senior Research Manager at Alzheimer’s Research UK, emphasised caution: “Studies like this improve our knowledge of how dementia risk develops over a lifetime and may inform ways to protect brain health. Yet, being observational, this research reveals associations rather than direct causation between sugar intake and dementia risk. The Lancet Commission currently does not list sugar intake as an independent dementia risk factor.”
She added: “More research is essential to clarify the connection between sugar consumption and dementia development. Meanwhile, our advice remains consistent: maintaining a healthy, balanced diet supports brain health, and it is never too late to adopt positive dietary changes.”