A new study suggests that reducing sugar intake early in life could have lasting effects on health, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure by 35% and 20%, respectively.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition where the body becomes resistant to insulin (hormone) or does not produce enough, causing high blood sugar levels and an increased risk of heart disease and other complications.

On the other hand, high blood pressure, or high blood pressure, is a condition where blood flows through the arteries at higher pressure than normal, causing strain on the heart and blood vessels, and increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Research published in the journal Science shows that sugar restriction from conception to the first two years of life has significant long-term health benefits.

Researchers at USC Dornsife College, McGill University and UC Berkeley used data from the UK Biobank to study adults who experienced rationed sugar in childhood during World War II.

In the UK, sugar rationing began in 1942 and continued until 1953, meaning that children conceived or born during this period grew up in an environment with limited sugar access.

By comparing the health outcomes of people born just before and just after rationing ended, researchers can assess the impact of the initial sugar restriction.

The findings showed that people who consumed less sugar in the first 1,000 days from conception were not only less likely to develop diabetes or high blood pressure, but also experienced a delayed onset of the disease when they did.

Those who developed diabetes had an average delay of four years, while the onset of hypertension was delayed by two years.

“Studying the long-term effects of sugar is challenging, but the end of sugar rationing provided a natural experiment to observe different nutritional environments,” said lead author Tadeja Gressner of USC Dornsife.

After the end of rationing, sugar intake doubled to an average of 8 to 16 teaspoons per day, allowing researchers to compare the health outcomes of those who had higher sugar exposure in early life.

The study highlights the high levels of added sugar in children’s diets today and advocates for policies that can protect children’s health.

“Parents need information about what works,” said Claire Boone of McGill University. “This study provides evidence that reducing sugar early in life may improve long-term health.”

“Sugar early in life is the new tobacco. We need to hold food companies accountable and reformulate infant diets with healthier alternatives,” said co-author Paul Gertler of UC Berkeley.

The study is part of a larger research project examining the broader effects of early sugar restriction on adult health and economic outcomes.