Early-life sugar limits may curb cancer risk for decades, study suggests
A UK Biobank-based study leveraging the end of post-war sugar rationing finds that individuals exposed to sugar limits in the first 1,000 days of life had lower rates of several cancers (liver, rectal, lung, prostate and breast) in adulthood and longer leukocyte telomeres, implying slower biological aging. The researchers propose two pathways: a lasting biological imprint and enduring healthier dietary habits. Yet the study is observational with limitations (possible biases, non-representative sample) and does not justify extreme sugar restriction; rather, it supports moderating added sugar during pregnancy and early childhood.