A new study of more than 46,000 UK adults suggests sugar exposure in early life may impact mental health in adulthood, as well as food preferences and brain development.
Sugar exposure during the first 1,000 days of a child's life may have lasting effects on their mental health.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 46,000 people born in the UK during and after World War II sugar rationing.
Those exposed to longer periods of rationing in the womb and through age 2 had a lower risk of developing anxiety as adults.
On the other hand, women who experienced no sugar restrictions as babies, or only limited ones, were more likely to develop anxiety with age.
The study also found differences in food preferences later in life. Participants exposed to the longest period of sugar rationing reported a lower preference for sweet foods as adults.
MRI brain scans of nearly 6,000 participants also revealed differences in gray matter volume between the groups.
Researchers identified significant variations in 11 regions, including the cerebellum — a part of the brain that may play a role in mental health.
Bottom line, according to the senior author, “Early nutritional environments appear to have lasting relevance for mental health.”
She says future studies should include genetics to better understand how early nutrition shapes mental health over time.
Source: Translational Psychiatry
Author Affiliations: University of Surrey
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