A new study shows that exposing a child to sugar in the first thousand days of life, from conception to about two and a half years old, increases the risk of developing anxiety in adulthood.
Exposure to sugar in the first thousand days of life, from conception to about two and a half years old, may leave a lasting effect on mental health and increase the likelihood of anxiety years later; according to a new study.
Sugar rationing in early childhood was associated with differences in preferences for sweet foods, psychiatric and mental health outcomes, and structural differences in the brain.
Hannah Navaratilva, the study's lead author, said: “If we are aware of the full impact of sugar on our physical and mental health across the lifespan, we can help inform public health policy and change our dietary habits.”
Researchers at the University of Surrey analyzed medical data from more than 45,000 people born between 1951 and 1956; a period that coincided with wartime rationing in Britain and the years after restrictions were lifted.
In Britain, from 1940 to 1953, sugar rationing policies were implemented during the war and afterwards, and sugar consumption for adults was limited to about 40 grams per day.
The study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry (source in English), compared participants who were subject to rationing during the fetal period and then until ages 6, 12, 18 and 24 months or only during the fetal period, with people who never experienced such restrictions.
Those who experienced the longest period of rationing reported a lower tendency to consume sweet foods and had a significantly lower risk of anxiety in adulthood. The risk of anxiety in this group was 33 percent lower than those who were never subject to rationing.
In the rationed groups, the onset of anxiety and depression also occurred at older ages. The median age of onset of anxiety in the long-ration groups was about 62 years, while this figure was reported as 55 years in the non-rationed group.
The researchers noted that after rationing ended, sugar consumption rose rapidly, but the effects of early-life restrictions persisted for a long time.
Nofer Gifman, a professor at the University of Surrey and the study's senior author, said: “Despite increased sugar consumption after rationing ended among participants, it appears that early nutritional environments continue to have lasting importance for mental health.”
Why does this happen?
According to the authors, the first thousand days of life are a critical window for brain development and nutrition during this period can cause lasting changes in brain structure.
Previous research cited by the authors suggests that diets high in sugar can reduce the density and accessibility of serotonergic neurons that are vital for mood regulation, and early restriction of sugar intake may protect via these pathways.