A NEW study has revealed that lower sugar intake during the first 1000 days of life is linked to significantly reduced risks of heart disease in adulthood. Those exposed to early-life sugar rationing in the UK showed improved cardiovascular outcomes decades later.
Why Early Sugar Intake Matters
Research into sugar intake during early development has long suggested that nutrition in the first few years of life can shape lifelong health. Excess sugar consumption, even before birth through maternal diet during pregnancy, has been associated with higher risks of diabetes, hypertension, and obesity later in life. However, until now, direct evidence linking early sugar intake and long-term heart health in humans has remained limited.
Study Findings on Sugar Rationing and Cardiovascular Risk
This natural experiment analysed data from 63,433 UK Biobank participants born between October 1951 and March 1956, comparing those exposed to sugar rationing before 1953 with those born after restrictions ended. The researchers found that longer exposure to sugar rationing was linked to progressively lower cardiovascular risk in adulthood.
Compared with individuals never exposed to rationing, those exposed in utero plus one to two years had hazard ratios of 0.80 (95% CI 0.73–0.90) for cardiovascular disease, 0.75 (0.63–0.90) for myocardial infarction, 0.74 (0.59–0.95) for heart failure, 0.76 (0.66–0.92) for atrial fibrillation, 0.69 (0.53–0.89) for stroke, and 0.73 (0.54–0.98) for cardiovascular mortality. Diabetes and hypertension explained about 31% of these benefits, while birth weight accounted for just 2.2%. Cardiac imaging revealed modest improvements in heart function, with increases in left ventricular stroke volume index and ejection fraction.
Implications for Future Health Policy
These results highlight the potential long-term benefits of reducing sugar intake during early development. The study suggests that limiting sugar exposure in pregnancy and infancy could play a key role in preventing cardiovascular disease later in life. Future research may help refine dietary guidelines and inform preventive strategies that promote lifelong cardiovascular wellbeing through better control of sugar consumption.
Reference
Zheng J et al. Exposure to sugar rationing in first 1000 days after conception and long term cardiovascular outcomes: natural experiment study. bmj. 2025;391.
