High-sugar dietary pattern associated with increased risk of dementia

Associations of sugar intake, high-sugar dietary pattern, and the risk of dementia: a prospective cohort study of 210,832 participants

1. A population-based cohort study showed that there was a significant association between high dietary sugar content and an increased risk of developing dementia. 

Evidence Rating Level: 1 (Excellent) 

Dementia is increasing rapidly around the world and is a serious public health concern. Although some progress has been made regarding treatment targeting amyloid-related pathologies, there are still steps that must be taken. Many past studies have emphasized the role of diet in preventing dementia, specifically focusing on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), however, there was a lack of research focusing on dietary sugar intake. Seeing the literature gap, these researchers decided to understand the association between sugar intake and dementia risk. Data was taken from the UK Biobank database, which included a prospective cohort of 210 832 individuals. The participants filled out on online questionnaire providing information about their sugar intake from foods and beverages in the past 24 hours. Dividing the total sugar intake by the total energy intake (unit: kJ) led to the result of relative sugar intake (unit: %g/kJ/day). All-cause dementia was the outcome of focus, with secondary outcome including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Of the participants, the individuals most likely to consume higher levels of sugar were males, current smokers, and participants with vascular diseases. There was a statistically significant association between a greater sugar intake (g/day) and all-cause dementia (HR=1.003, [95%. CI: 1.002-1.004], p<0.001) and AD (1.002, [1.001-1.004], 0.005). Similarly, there was a significant association between regular sugar intake and a greater risk of dementia (1.317, [1.173-1.480], p<0.001) and AD (1.249 [1.041-1.500], 0.017). High sugar intake was associated only with a higher risk of all-cause dementia (1.090, [1.045-1.136], p<0.001). The relationships between all-cause dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, and sugar intake and high-sugar intake, produced non-linear relationships (p values for non-linearity < 0.05). Overall, study findings provide strong evidence for an association between dietary sugar intake and dementia risk, and may be used to inform discussions between healthcare practitioners and at risk geriatric populations. 

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