Hyperactivity, a condition typically attributed to youngsters, is expressed by excessive restlessness and the inability to control impulses. Hyperactivity is often synonymous with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, but can also occur independently. The idea that sugar causes hyperactivity has been controversial since at least the 1920s, but recently, experts began challenging the accuracy of these claims.
Sugar and Hyperactivity
In effort to confirm the efficacy of the sugar and hyperactivity connection, a 1995 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" compared behaviors in children given sugar and those on a placebo. No one involved in monitoring the children knew which kids received the actual sugar and that had been given a placebo. The results indicate that sugar does not affect behavior or cognitive performance. The researchers do not rule out the possibility that sugar can have adverse affects on a small subset of children.
Theories
The idea that sugar causes hyperactivity may have something to do with normal fluctuating energy levels in children at different ages, according to MedlinePlus. It's natural for a 2-year-old, for example, to be more rambunctious and excitable that a 10-year-old. Factoring in a parents' tolerance level can be key. Changing a child's diet, which can be coupled with placing stricter demands on the child's behavior, may produce results that reinforce the theory that sugar restriction is responsible for the corrected behavior rather than increased attention or discipline.
Origins
The idea that sugar ups energy levels began in the 1920s but gathered steam in the early 1970s with the Feingold Diet. Allergist Benjamin Feingold developed the protocol based on anecdotal evidence from parents indicating that food additives like sugar caused their child's uncontrollable behaviors. According to the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, studies show that parents who expect sugar to cause hyperactivity in children are more likely to perceive that behavior compared to nonbiased observers. In a 1994 study published in the "Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology," a group of mothers were told their children received a large dose of sugar and a second group were told their child received a placebo. In actuality, all the children received a placebo. The mothers who believed their children were given sugar rated them as significantly more hyperactive.
Considerations
While researchers can say with some certainty that sugar will not make a normal child hyperactive, it is true that sugar does produce energy in the body. Children with ADHD may metabolize sugar differently, which presents that possibility that sweeteners can worsen an existing behavior disorder. MedlinePlus explains that even in people with ordinary energy levels, refined sugars and carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly and can produce rapid fluctuations in glucose levels, which can trigger adrenaline.
References
- KidsHealth: What is Hyperactivity?; July 2009
- MedlinePlus: Hyperactivity and Sugar; May 2009
- "Nutrition Reviews"; Does Sucrose or Aspartame Cause Hyperactivity in Children?; RB Kanarek; May 1994
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; The Effect of Sugar on Behavior or Cognition in Children; Mark L. Wolraich, MD; 1995
- Albert Einstein Healthcare Network: True or False: Eating Sugar Tends to Make Children Hyperactive
- "Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology"; Effects of Sugar Ingestion Expectancies on Mother-Child Interactions; DW Hoover; August 1994
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