The period from conception until two years old is a critical time for healthy nutrition
Reducing sugar intake in the first 1000 days of a baby's life appears to lower their risk of developing health issues, a new study suggests. The research revealed that the period from conception until around two years old was a critical time for healthy nutrition – when babies initially absorb nutrients from their mother before moving onto solids. Limiting sugar was linked to a drop in risk of type 2 diabetes by 35% in middle age and high blood pressure by 20%.
The onset of diabetes was four years later – and two years later for high blood pressure – in people who had a low-sugar diet compared with those who consumed higher quantities.
Using a 'natural' experiment, looked at data released after a decade of postwar sugar and sweets rationing ended in 1953. Initially, the restriction was set to levels comparable to modern guidelines, but after limits were lifted, consumption nearly doubled from about 41g (10 sugar cubes) to 80g (20 sugar cubes) a day almost right away.
Analysing data, the scientists compared middle-age health for 38,000 people conceived and born during rationing and 22,000 people conceived soon after. Unsurprisingly, rates and onset of diabetes and blood pressure were substantially lower for those who reached the age of two during sugar rationing, with time in the womb making up about one-third of the lowered risk.
Interestingly, protein and fat consumption remained steady after the end of rationing, nor was butter intake affected. The mother's diet during pregnancy was also important, with a third of low-sugar-consumption benefits affecting the baby while they were still in the womb. The greatest health improvements, however, were seen when sugar was cut for both the time in the womb and when the baby began ingesting solid foods.
What is the recommended sugar intake?
It is recommended that:
Adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day (seven sugar cubes), or 5% of daily calories. That's sugar added to food and drinks and found in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit drinks
Children aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24g of free sugars a day (6 sugar cubes).
Children aged 4 to 6 should have no more than 19g of free sugars a day (5 sugar cubes).
There's no guideline limit for children under the age of 4, but it's recommended they avoid sugar-sweetened drinks and food with sugar added.
Exposure to a relatively low-sugar environment in utero and early childhood significantly reduces diabetes and hypertension risk decades later, as well as delays their onset.
Maternal diets high in sugar, have been linked to a higher risk of obesity and metabolic disorders in children’, possibly through factors like foetal programming. In addition, eating sweets while very young can establish a lifelong preference for sugar. Studies show that – while most humans like sweets – significant sugar exposure in early life can strengthen this preference. This would be far from easy, however, as sugar is everywhere – even in baby and toddler foods. These findings are in keeping with our research showing lower rates of obesity in the children of mothers who eat low glycemic index foods during pregnancy that are digested and absorbed more slowly, causing a slower rise in blood sugar levels. The results found in this research should be a call for attention for women in the stages of preconception [and] pregnancy, and parents of children in early life. The food industry should consider reformulating products targeted at these groups in light of the evidence, prioritising the well-being of future generations.
Adapted from: WHM
Comments