New research suggests that limiting sugar during pregnancy and the first two years of life can have lasting benefits for your child's heart health. — dpa
New research suggests that limiting sugar during pregnancy and the first two years of life can have lasting benefits for our heart health.
The study, published in the medical journal The BMJ, looked at 63,433 people from the UK Biobank born between October 1951 and March 1956 with no history of heart disease.
The researchers compared 40,063 people exposed to sugar rationing between 1940 and 1953, with 23,370 people who were not.
They found that those who had sugar restricted during the time of pregnancy and in the first two years of life, compared with people never exposed to rationing, had a 20% lower risk of heart disease, 25% lower risk of heart attack, 26% lower risk of heart failure, atrial fibrillation (24%), stroke (31%) and cardiovascular death (27%).
We spoke to British consultant cardiologist Dr Oliver Guttmann to find out exactly how sugar can affect our heart health.
”If you have a lot of sugar at once, it can increase your blood pressure and increase your heart rate in the short term,” says Dr Guttmann.
“A big sugary meal, for example, can cause your heart rate to be a bit faster because your body has to work harder to manage the increased level of blood sugar.
”That is why, sometimes, people say they are experiencing heart palpitations after they eat something really sugary.”
> Increased risk of heart disease
”Over time, high sugar intake can cause very chronic low-grade inflammation and high blood pressure that can cause extra strain on the heart, which can increase the risk of heart disease,” says Dr Guttmann.
> Increased LDL cholesterol levels
”High consumption of sugar, especially refined sugars, can sometimes raise the level of the 'bad' cholesterol LDL (low-density lipoprotein) over time and lower the level of the good cholesterol
(high-density lipoprotein, HDL),” he says.
“High LDLs over time can harden the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.”
> Increased risk of weight gain and diabetes
”If you have a lot of sugar over prolonged periods, then there is a risk of obesity,” says Dr Guttmann.
“A higher body weight can increase your risk of high cholesterol levels and blood pressure, which are major risk factors of type 2 diabetes.
"Additionally, high blood sugars over a long time can lead to insulin resistance and increase the risk of diabetes.
”So, it’s a bit of a vicious circle, everything can work together to cause a problem.”
> Increased risk of stroke and heart attacks
”Stroke and heart attacks are always the things we talk about when it comes to heart health, and they usually happen when you get furring of the arteries,” says Dr Guttmann.
“Furring makes the blood vessels tighter and more narrow over time.
”High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and family history are the main risk factors for furring – and high sugar intake can worsen many of these things.
”In addition, excess consumption of sugar cause your triglycerides to go up, which are a certain kind of fat, which can also contribute to the narrowing and hardening of the arteries.”
These risks increase as we age.
”As you get older, you are at higher risk of heart problems because everything accumulates,” he says.
“For example, if you’re 60 and have 40 years of a bad diet, that will increase your risk of getting heart problems.”
> Diet
”It is important to have a balanced diet and to limit the amount of sugar and sugary foods and drinks you consume,” says Dr Guttmann.
“If you want to make something sweeter, considering having something like fruit juice or honey instead.”
British government guidance recommends that adults should have no more than 30g of free sugars a day (roughly equivalent to seven sugar cubes), according to the UK National Health Service (NHS) website.
> Exercise
”Regular exercise helps increase your heart rate during activity, which strengthens your heart, and over time, it helps lower your resting blood pressure,” says Dr Guttmann.
“It also helps burn sugar and fat, and can decrease your cholesterol levels over time.
"Generally, about 150 minutes of exercise a week is recommended.”
”If you’re very fit and healthy, and you don’t have any other medical problems, I think checking your blood pressure and your cholesterol once a year is reasonable,” he says.
“However, if you have a history of high blood pressure or heart attacks in the family, or if you’re diabetic or if you smoke, you should have it checked more frequently.” – By Camilla Foster/PA Media/dpa
