Sugar exposure in early life linked to anxiety in adulthood
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Exposure to sugar in the first 1,000 days of a child's life increases the risk of developing anxiety in adulthood, according to a new study from the University of Surrey published in Translational Psychiatry. Scientists also found that sugar intake early in life can affect brain development, with significant differences identified in 11 of the brain's 80 regions.
During the study, scientists from Surrey investigated how exposure to sugar early in life influences a person's mental health in adulthood, dietary behaviors and neurodevelopment. The risk of developing anxiety was lowest among those who had the least exposure to sugar in utero and during the first two years of life.
Dr. Hana Navratilova, from IPB University in Indonesia, who led the work while at the University of Surrey, said, "Research has shown that sugar exposure during the first 1,000 days of life may influence the risk of suffering from several chronic diseases, such as diabetes. Because we've seen links in our previous work between the liking of sugary foods and mental health issues, we were specifically interested in understanding whether having sugar early in life could contribute to the incidence of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety later in life.
"Knowing the full impact that sugar can have on our physical and mental health across our lifespans could help inform public health policy and reshape our diets."
To learn more, the team analyzed medical data from more than 45,000 UK Biobank participants born between 1951 and 1956, from when postwar sugar rationing was fully in place to when it was phased out. Participants were divided into groups based on whether they experienced sugar rationing in utero and for up to 6, 12, 18 or 24 months of age, or underwent rationing in utero only. A control group of similarly aged participants born when rationing was not in place in the U.K., as well as a group of children born in Ireland, were also analyzed.
Navratilova found that women in particular who did not experience rationing or experienced it for a limited time were more likely to develop anxiety.
An association between early sugar exposure and depression was also identified but became less significant after statistical adjustment, suggesting that the condition may be influenced by diet later in adulthood.
As part of the study, scientists also examined brain imaging data alongside rationing exposure. They found that 80 of 139 brain regions measured for gray matter volume differed significantly among the rationing groups. Further analysis revealed significant differences in 11 of the 80 brain regions between most of the rationing groups and those who were never rationed, including regions of the cerebellum.
Those who were not exposed to sugar for the longest time, in utero and up to 24 months of age, also reported a lower preference for sweet foods in adulthood. Scientists uncovered differences in preferences for sweet foods between the rationed groups and those who had never experienced rationing, indicating that sugar exposure could have long-term dietary effects.
Professor Nophar Geifman, professor of health and biomedical informatics at the University of Surrey and senior author, concluded, "The UK Biobank is a treasure trove of data that allowed us to look at this postwar dietary rationing, giving us unique insight into the impact of sugar exposure on our mental health. It is highly unlikely that this sort of dataset would exist again, whereby so many people did not have excess sugar in their diets and then had it slowly phased in over a prolonged period of time.
"What we have found is that rationing of sugar early in life is linked to reduced sweet liking and a lower risk of anxiety. Despite increased sugar consumption after rationing among participants, early nutritional environments appear to have lasting relevance for mental health."
Publication details
Hana F. Navratilova et al, Dietary sugar exposure in early life and risk of adult mental health disorders: UK Biobank cohort study, Translational Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41398-026-04376-w
Journal information: Translational Psychiatry
Key medical concepts
brain developmentImaging, Brain
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PsychiatryPsychology & Mental healthPediatricsNutrition & Healthy eatingChildren's health Provided by University of Surrey Who's behind this story?
Lisa Lock
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