Limiting Sugar Intake in Babies May Protect Heart Health in Adulthood

Limiting sugar in early childhood, especially in the first 1,000 days, is linked to lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, and delayed onset of heart problems later in life.

Less sugar during early childhood may help protect the heart later in life. A study, published in the journal The BMJ, looked at the end of sugar rationing in the United Kingdom in 1953 and found that people who had less sugar as babies and young children were less likely to suffer from serious heart problems as adults. These problems include heart attacks, heart failure, strokes, and irregular heartbeats.

The biggest benefits were seen in those who had their sugar intake limited before birth and during the first two years of life. This time frame, often referred to as the first 1,000 days, is considered very important because what children eat during this period can have long-term effects on their health. Today, guidelines for babies and young children suggest avoiding sugary drinks and foods that are high in sugar.

Learning from History

Using the historical setting of UK sugar rationing, which ended in September 1953, the study compared groups of children who were born before and after this period. It included more than 63,000 people born between 1951 and 1956, none of whom had heart disease at the start of the study. Around 40,000 of these people were exposed to sugar limits during early childhood, while 23,000 were not. Researchers used health records to track heart-related issues and deaths, taking into account genes, lifestyle, and environmental factors. A group of adults born outside the UK, who had not experienced sugar rationing, was also studied as a control group.

Reduced Risk and Delayed Heart Problems

People who had less sugar earlier in life were found to have lower rates of heart disease. Being exposed to sugar restrictions in early life was linked to a lower risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, which could explain the heart benefits. Those who had limited sugar before birth and during the first two years had about a 20% lower risk of heart disease overall. Specific risks were also reduced, including heart attacks (25%), heart failure (26%), irregular heartbeats (24%), strokes (31%), and deaths from heart-related causes (27%).

Heart problems also started later in life for those exposed to sugar limits in early childhood. These people experienced delays of up to two and a half years in the onset of heart conditions compared to those who were not exposed. Some improvements in general heart health were also noted.

Implications for Modern Diets

The sugar limits during rationing were set at less than 40 grams per day for adults and no added sugar for infants under two. These limits are similar to what is suggested today for young children. Although the study cannot prove that low sugar intake directly causes better heart health, its size and careful approach suggest that early nutrition plays an important role in long-term heart health.