{
  "id": 9707752,
  "title": "Could childhood sugar intake raise the risk of adult anxiety?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/25/could-childhood-sugar-intake-raise-the-risk-of-adult-anxiety",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-25T05:15:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/25/could-childhood-sugar-intake-raise-the-risk-of-adult-anxiety"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Research reveals that sugar consumption during early childhood may raise the risk of anxiety later in life. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Surrey examined the medical records of over 45,000 individuals born between 1951 and 1956, a period encompassing post-war sugar rationing in the United Kingdom. Sugar rationing, which restricted daily intake to approximately 40 grams, was in effect from 1940 to 1953.\n\nThe study compared individuals exposed to varying degrees of rationing during different stages of their early lives, including the critical window from conception to around the age of two and a half, as well as those never subject to rationing. Participants exposed to the longest period of rationing reported a reduced preference for sweet foods and a significantly lower risk of anxiety in adulthood. Specifically, they experienced a 33% lower risk of anxiety compared to those never rationed.\n\nThe study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, also found that individuals who experienced early sugar restriction developed anxiety and depression at a later age, with the median onset occurring around 62 years of age in the long-rationed group, compared to 55 years in the never-rationed group. The researchers noted that while sugar consumption increased after rationing ended, the effects of early nutritional restriction persisted for years.\n\nLead author Hana Navratilova emphasized the need for public health policy to consider the long-term impact of sugar on both physical and mental health. Professor Nophar Geifman, senior author of the study, explained that the first 1,000 days of life are a critical period for brain development, and nutrition during this time can lead to lasting structural changes in the brain. Previous research has indicated that high sugar diets can reduce the density and availability of serotonin neurons, which are vital for mood regulation. Therefore, early sugar restriction may protect these crucial pathways.",
  "summary": "Exposure to sugar in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception to around the age of two and a half, increases the risk of developing anxiety in adulthood, according to a new study.",
  "key_points": [
    "Childhood sugar intake may raise adult anxiety risk",
    "UK study of 45,000 individuals born 1951-1956",
    "Early sugar restriction linked to 33% lower anxiety risk"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This study suggests that restricted sugar intake in early childhood can have a lasting impact on mental health, specifically lowering the risk of adult anxiety, by influencing brain development and mood regulation pathways.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}