The UK imposed sugar rationing during the Second World War which restricted sugar intake to below the levels now recommended in nutritional guidelines.

However, when in 1953 rationing was lifted, sugar consumption in the UK soon doubled. This study from California compared the health of adults conceived before 1953 to those born after rationing was lifted and found that higher exposure to sugar appeared to lead to higher rates of Type 2 diabetes and hypertension in later life.

The study used UK dietary surveys from the 1950s and market information on sugar and sweet sales as well as data from the UK Biobank which has collected health information since 2006. 

The study’s conclusions were that restricted sugar consumption in early life reduced the risk of diabetes by 35% and hypertension by 20% and, where these conditions did occur, appeared to delay the onset of disease by up to four years. Protection from sugar intake in-utero reduced the risk of later chronic disease by one third and by more than this when sugar restriction continued postnatally and after weaning.

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Read More: Gracner, T. et al. (2024) Exposure to sugar rationing in the first 1000 days of life protected against chronic disease. Science0, eadn5421DOI:10.1126/science.adn5421

McGill Newsroom (2024) Landmark study finds low-sugar diet in early childhood reduces lifetime risk of chronic disease (November 6). Available at: https://healthenews.mcgill.ca/landmark-study-finds-low-sugar-diet-in-early-childhood-reduces-lifetime-risk-of-chronic-disease/