A recent study finds that reducing sugar in children’s first two years can lower their lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes by 35% and high blood pressure by 20%, providing lasting health benefits.
A new study suggests that children who avoid sugar during their first two years have a lower risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. Published Thursday in *Science*, the findings indicate that reducing sugar intake during a child’s first 1,000 days provides lasting health benefits, even if sugar consumption increases after age two. The study found that limiting sugar in early childhood reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by 35% and high blood pressure by 20%.
A 2020 study published in the ‘Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ found that, despite recommendations to limit added sugars for children, approximately 85% of U.S. children consume added sugars daily. Sweetened yogurts and baby foods expose infants to sugars, while toddlers frequently consume sugary items like candy, pastries, and fruit drinks.
Processed sugar can negatively impact children even before birth, as maternal sugar intake affects fetal health. The WHO recommends that free sugar intake in both adults and children be less than 10% of total energy intake, with further benefits if reduced to below 5%.
Despite most children exceeding WHO’s recommended sugar intake, the long-term effects remain unclear. A 2021 Canadian study found no link between sugar intake and children’s waistlines, though it didn’t explore sugar’s potential metabolic impact. Researchers investigated long-term effects by examining a natural experiment from post-World War II Britain. During this period, authorities rationed sugar to about 40 grams per day.When rationing ended in 1953, sugar consumption doubled to 80 grams. The findings revealed that children with restricted sugar intake during their first 1,000 days had a 35% lower risk of diabetes. This indicates the potential long-term health benefits of limiting sugar early in life.They also had a 20% lower risk of hypertension. Additionally, the onset of both conditions was delayed by several years.
