Lower sugar consumption by the mother during pregnancy and by the child in the early years of life is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease in adulthood.
The journal Neurology notes that scientists from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology reached this conclusion by analyzing data from 64,737 participants in the British Biobank, who were born in the period when sugar rationing was abolished in the United Kingdom in 1953. About 41,000 of them were subjected to sugar consumption restriction during fetal development and early childhood, while the rest of the participants were not.
Researchers found that lower sugar consumption during pregnancy and the first year of life was associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The odds ratios were 0.79 and 0.77, respectively. When sugar intake was restricted during the first two years of life, the odds dropped even further—0.77 for dementia and 0.72 for Alzheimer's disease.
According to the researchers, individuals who experienced sugar restriction during pregnancy and early childhood experienced an average delay of 2.5 to 2.9 years in the onset of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia. Furthermore, early sugar restriction was associated with increased gray matter volume and decreased white matter density. These participants also scored higher on information processing speed and logical reasoning.
Scientists estimate that about a quarter of this relationship is due to a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
According to the researchers, this study shows a statistical correlation between diet in the early stages and the risk of developing dementia later on, but it does not prove that reducing sugar intake alone guarantees
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