Similar patterns emerged for depression: the 1,000-day rationing group had a 29% lower relative hazard of diagnosis. In unadjusted terms, 6.69% of this group developed depression compared with 7.23% of the highest-risk, never-rationed group. Groups rationed for about 635 and 817 days also showed lower risks for both conditions, whereas those rationed only in the womb or up to six months of age did not differ from the non-rationed group, suggesting a longer exposure may be required for the association to appear.
The associations held for both men and women, though they appeared stronger in women. The researchers also checked two conditions not expected to be affected by early sugar intake—type 1 diabetes and PTSD—and found no links. A smaller Irish cohort analysed as a check did not yield conclusive results, the authors noted.
Brain-imaging analyses of 5,990 participants revealed subtle differences in grey matter volume across regions. Variation was observed in 80 of 139 measured regions, with 11 regions differing notably between most rationed groups and the never-rationed group conceived just after rationing ended. Changes were noted in the brainstem and cerebellum, though exploratory models did not establish brain structure as a pathway linking early sugar restriction to lower anxiety.
The authors also paid tribute to the study’s participants, thanking UK Biobank volunteers for their contribution to advancing human health. The study, titled Dietary sugar exposure in early life and risk of adult mental health disorders: UK Biobank cohort study, lists Hana F. Navratilova, Anthony D. Whetton and Nophar Geifman as authors.
