We have all heard the phrase “You are what you eat,” which I think is probably accurate regarding nutrition. However, this does imply that we have a choice in what we eat and that simply changing it can solve most diet-related issues. But what if “you are what you eat” starts earlier than our ability to make independent food choices?
While this area has been studied for some time (it’s why we have recommended diets and supplement regimes to follow during pregnancy and early childhood), there hasn’t until now been sufficient evidence to definitively show how drastically pre-birth and early childhood nutrition can increase the risk of chronic disease in adulthood. This is why the study we are about to discuss is so important.
The wartime sugar rationing study
A study published in Science looked at how consumption of sugar in the first 1000 days after conception can influence the risk of developing diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. It used data from when food rationing in the UK started in 1942 during wartime, and when it ended in September 1953. During rationing, the sugar allowance for pregnant women and children was around 40 g for adults and 15 g for children, roughly the same levels as current dietary guidelines. After 10 years of rationing, as soon as restrictions were lifted, people immediately started eating almost twice as much sugar.
The study was based on UK Biobank data and compared adults who were born just before food rationing ended with those born just afterwards. It showed that the earlier group had a lower risk of diabetes (reduced by 35%) and of high blood pressure (reduced by 20%.) The degree of protection was influenced partly by the mother’s lack of sugar intake before birth, and it was stronger if there was limited sugar intake after birth. This was especially the case when, after six months, the babies likely started eating solid foods. Sugar rationing before birth alone made up about one-third of the risk reduction. 
The rationing was 1.5 ounces/41 grams per adult per day, with no sugar rationed for children under two. For comparison, 41 grams is about the amount of sugar in one 12-ounce serving of soda (about ten teaspoons). Today, the average American consumes 2.5 ounces/71 grams of added sugar per day, and children are often introduced to it at a very young age. The upper limit for how much added sugar is considered “safe” to consume is 1.3 ounces/36 grams for adult men (around nine teaspoons) and one ounce/25 grams for adult women (around six teaspoons). No added sugar is recommended at all for kids up to 24 months.
Can obesity be caused by early childhood nutrition?
While it has long been known that adult habits contribute to obesity and related health problems, there is now growing evidence that obesity might be caused both by improper and excess nutrition during development. The brain area that controls hunger and energy use is set early in life and can be affected by things like poor nutrition and changes in metabolism and hormones.
If a baby is exposed to poor maternal nutrition before birth or doesn’t get enough nutrition early in life, it might lead to obesity later on.
How can nutrition in the womb trigger adult diseases?
While the exact reasons are not clear, changes in how genes are regulated might be involved. The gene known as Insulin‐like growth factor‐2 (IGF2) plays a key role in memory formation and neuronal growth in the fetus. It has been proposed that methylation of IGF2 is also involved in programming late-onset obesity.
Another study showed that people exposed to famine before birth during the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944–45 had less DNA methylation of the IGF2 gene than their siblings who weren’t exposed. This was especially true for those exposed around conception, showing that early development is key for setting gene marks. This evidence was the first to support the idea that diet early in life can cause lasting changes in human gene regulation.
The latest study doesn’t explain why limiting sugar early in life has such significant effects later on. However, one possibility is that getting used to sugar early on might make people crave it for their whole lives. The British government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey found that people born during sugar rationing had a tendency to eat less sugar later on. The risk of disease builds up over a lifetime of eating sugar, and chronic diseases that may require medical interventions like insulin take time to appear.
Which nutrients should be eaten (and which avoided) in the beginning?
Added sugar at any phase of life is something to be avoided as much as possible. This refers not to natural sugars, like those found in fruits, as eating whole fruit comes together with fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients that the body needs. It’s about not adding three spoons of sugar into a morning coffee or getting a giant soda with lunch. These are things to wean yourself off if you are planning a pregnancy.
Diets rich in fiber, antioxidants, polyphenols, B vitamins, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and early life are linked to better long-term health outcomes. On the other hand, diets high in sugar, saturated fat, and omega-6 fatty acids are linked to an increased likelihood of chronic disease later in life.
Look for:
- Good sources of fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
- Berries and other brightly colored fruits and vegetables, dark leafy greens, nuts, and seeds are good sources of antioxidants.
- Cacao, red berries, and other red fruits, as well as seasonings like clove and peppermint, are good sources of polyphenols.
- Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy, legumes, and leafy greens are good sources of B vitamins.
- Good sources of vitamin D. These include vitamin D-fortified foods, fatty fish, and cod liver oil. As well, simply spending time outdoors in the sun can do wonders.
- Good sources of omega-3 are oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon, tuna, whitebait, chia seed oil, and flax seed oil.
Avoid:
Added sugar.: It’s easy to think that alternative sugars are healthier than regular white sugar, but don’t be misled. Added sugar is still sugar, no matter what it’s called. Look for these added sugars in ingredient lists:
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- High fructose corn syrup
- Corn syrup
- Dextrose
Manufacturers now have to show how much added sugar is in their products on the Nutrition Facts label, both in grams and as a percentage of the daily value.
Look out not just for excess fat but for also the wrong sort of fat. Fat content can be confusing, and it’s not the demon it was thought of in earlier years. In fact, the body needs fats to function properly! The issue is both whether we have too much fat and also whether there’s an excessive amount of the wrong kinds of fat. The culprits in the modern diet are usually deep-fried foods or highly processed packaged foods. Opt for healthy fats like avocados, extra virgin olive oil, or oily fish that is high in omega-3. Nutritionists usually advise healthy people to have 35 – 40% of their daily calories come from good-quality sources of fat, but some people need less if they need to be on a low-fat diet.
In general, people get a sufficient supply of fatty acids in total in an average daily diet, but there is frequently an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6, and most people only get enough omega-6 and have some deficiency in omega-3. Whether the problem is too much omega-6 or not enough omega-3 is still being studied and debated. Most scientists agree that it is best to focus on eating fats that are high in omega-3, like oily fish, and to reduce the intake of omega-6 from vegetables and seed oils (again, avoiding fried food and processed packaged food will help a lot with this).
Of course, each person will have different nutritional needs, so it is best to see a healthcare provider specializing in pregnancy and early childhood nutrition to determine an individual approach before making any drastic changes.
FAQs
Are breastfed babies less likely to get sick?
Babies who are breastfed tend to have fewer infections and hospital visits compared to those who are fed with formula. When a mother breastfeeds, she passes antibodies and other protective elements to her baby, boosting the baby’s immune system. This reduces the risk of various infections.
Does quitting sugar improve the immune system?
Research indicates that increased sugar consumption can weaken the immune system. A weakened immune system makes it easier to get sick. Consuming many sugary foods and drinks or refined carbs, which the body treats like sugar, might lower the body’s ability to fight illnesses.
Does sugar from fruit count as added sugar?
Natural sugars in milk, fruits, and vegetables aren’t considered free sugars. It’s not necessary to reduce these sugars, but keep in mind they are part of the “total sugar” amount listed on food labels.
Is honey better for you than sugar?
Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which means it doesn’t cause blood sugar to rise as fast, but it has a few more calories per teaspoon, so it’s important to watch how much is used.
