How does restricting carbohydrates early in life reduce the risk of diabetes later in life?

Photos are used for representative purposes only. Photo credit: Getty Images

A recent study found that restricting carbohydrates during the first 1,000 days of life reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension later in life.

In an article published in science, 'Exposure to sugar rations during the first 1000 days of life protects against chronic disease.'the authors investigated the effects of carbohydrate restriction within 1,000 days after conception on diabetes and hypertension. The study utilized a natural experiment in which 10 years of sugar and sweets rationing ended in Britain in September 1953. They analyzed the UK Biobank database using an event study approach used to compare adults who became pregnant just before the end of rationing with those who conceived at a presumably younger age. The authors said they were more likely to be exposed to excess sugar early in life and had lower sugar intake in childhood compared to those who became pregnant soon thereafter.

They found that rationing (sugar) early in life reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension by about 35% and 20%, respectively, and delayed the onset of the disease by 4 and 2 years, respectively. The authors stated that the protective effect was evident for in utero exposure and increased with carbohydrate restriction, especially after 6 months of age, when solid food intake is likely to begin. Sugar rationing in utero alone accounted for about one-third of the risk reduction.

V. Mohan, chairman of Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Center in Chennai, said the study followed up the subjects several years later to find out what their diabetes status was like. “Studies have shown that restricting sugar for the first 1,000 days of life reduces the incidence of diabetes many years later,” he said. She added: “As an indirect effect, if you don't get your child used to the taste of sugar, they may not crave sugar later in life.” Sugar intake in children is associated with many other diseases, such as obesity, tooth decay and, of course, future diabetes. ”

Dr. Mohan said that it is generally a good practice to prevent children from becoming addicted to sugar during the first few years. This is because it is likely to have long-term effects. “It's difficult to say that the decline in diabetes is entirely due to this, but if you look at the epidemiological data, the last three years when children were younger were followed by a significant decline in diabetes,” he said. .

S. Chandrasekhar, Professor and Head of the Department of Medicine, Government Hospital, Stanley Medical College, Chennai, said: Therefore, this concept is already an established fact. “Sugar intake is associated with metabolic changes and obesity in children, and those exposed in utero are more likely to develop hypertension and diabetes later in life,” he said. “This study is based on old data and was conducted retrospectively, so it is questionable whether it can be extrapolated to today's situation, where factors such as lifestyle, diet, environment, physical activity and stress are different. ' he added.

“What we do know is that maternal nutrition plays a critical role in fetal health, and that maternal malnutrition can impact the fetus's future risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. There is a link between low birth weight and the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life, in adulthood,” said Nanditha, director and diabetologist at the A. Ramachandran Diabetes Hospital in Chennai. said.

The publication shows that rationing sugar early in fetal life can reduce the risk of diabetes in adulthood, she said. “Low birth weight due to maternal malnutrition carries a risk of diabetes later in life, but so does high sugar intake. This shows that both extreme positions are bad for the fetus. ” said Dr. Nanditha.

In India, she said, there is a misconception that pregnant women should “eat for two,” people believe they are overfeeding the mother, and that weight gain during pregnancy is healthy. , “But this is not the case. Educating the public is key. Pregnant women need to maintain their ideal weight and control their blood sugar levels, especially if they are at risk of: there is. gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). It is important to screen women at risk for GDM early, including those with diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, a family history of obesity, or a history of GDM. ”