Kids who eat a typical American or Western diet are twice as likely to have ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, reports a 2010 study in the Journal of Attention Disorder. The journal reports that half of the 1,800 adolescents studied showed a link between an unhealthy diet and ADHD symptoms.
Sugar
Sugar is commonly considered a culprit for hyperactivity in children, but the subject is still being debated by experts. The Cleveland Clinic reports there is no link between sugar in the diet and hyperactivity, but research by Yale University and the University of South Carolina report that eating too much sugar contributes to restlessness and attention problems in children with ADHD.
Food Additives
Food additives are another link between diet and ADHD that experts have failed to agree on. Dr. Benjamin Feingold developed an eating plan in the 1970s that included eliminating food additives from the diet of children with attention and hyperactivity. Many nutritionists and studies set out to disprove Feingold, but recent studies like one at Columbia University in 2004 show links between food coloring and hyperactivity and irritability in children with ADHD.
Omega-3 and Fatty Acids
Multiple studies have been done on the link between essential fatty acids, or EFAs, like Omega-3 and attention deficit and hyperactivity problems in children and adults. A 2005 Oxford University study concluded that academic and behavior improved in children with ADHD who ate a diet supplemented with essential fatty acids.
Protein
Protein is important for alertness in brain function, according to Dr.Vincent Monastra, author of "Parenting Children With ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach." He explains that a diet rich in protein also helps ADHD medication work better by reducing restlessness.
Considerations
The connection between diet and any medical condition, including ADHD, should always be discussed with your doctor. Pharmacists are also a good source of information on disorders and illnesses and their link to food, medication interaction and side effects.
References
- Journal of Attention Disorders: ADHD Is Associated With a 'Western' Dietary Pattern in Adolescents
- Development and Behavioral Pediatrics: Do Artificial Food Colors Promote Hyperactivity in Children with Hyperactive Syndromes? A Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials
- Parenting Children With ADHD: 10 Lessons That Medicine Cannot Teach Vincent J. Monastra, Ph.D.
- The Weeks Clinic for Corrective Medicine and Psychiatry: Fish Oil and ADD/ADHD
- Richardson, A.J. and Montgomery, P. The Oxford-Durham study: a randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder. Pediatrics, Vol. 115, May 2005,
- Education.com: Tips for Parents
