Eating Less Sugar Early in Life May Reduce Cancer Risk Decades Later
Fox News
Khloe Quill | Wed, August 26, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
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Limiting sugar consumption during the first 1,000 days of life, from conception through a child’s second birthday, may result in slower biological aging and a lower risk of cancer up to five decades later.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences investigated how early-life sugar intake influences health in adulthood, examining data from over 64,000 participants in the UK Biobank born between 1951 and 1956.
The researchers leveraged a natural experiment from post-war Britain, when sugar rationing ended in September 1953. After rationing ended, average daily sugar consumption across the U.K. nearly doubled — from about 41 grams to 80 grams — while consumption of other major foods remained stable, according to historical National Food Survey data cited in the study.
People exposed to sugar rationing during their first 1,000 days of life were compared to those who were conceived after the policy ended. Researchers then examined cancer outcomes recorded about five decades later.
