Lower sugar exposure during pregnancy and the first years of life may be associated with a reduced risk of dementia many decades later, according to new research published in Neurology. The study reviewed data from about 64,000 people and found that those with lower sugar intake early in life had a lower likelihood of developing dementia later on.
The reported reduction in dementia risk was as much as 23% for people exposed to less sugar during these early developmental periods. The findings suggest that nutrition before birth and in early childhood could play a role in long-term brain health, although the study points to an association rather than proving that sugar directly causes dementia.
Researchers have increasingly examined how early-life conditions may influence chronic disease risk in adulthood. This study adds to that discussion by focusing on sugar intake during pregnancy and early childhood, periods when the brain and metabolism are developing rapidly.
The findings do not mean that sugar alone determines dementia risk, which is shaped by many factors across a lifetime. Still, the research highlights the potential importance of balanced nutrition early in life as part of a broader approach to supporting cognitive health over the long term.
