Do Children Really Get Hyper After Eating Sugar?

If you notice that children seem extra hyper any time you let them have candy and soda, chances are good that you link their manic behavior to the sugar. Whether or not your children actually get hyper after they eat sweet treats, sugar may not directly be responsible for their behavior, according an article in "Yale Scientific."

The Theory

An allergist named Dr. Benjamin Feingold initiated the buzz about sugar and hyperactivity when he started his popular Feingold Diet in 1973, according to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. According to Feingold, additives such as dyes and artificial flavors may cause hyperactivity in children. And although the diet doesn't specifically mention sugar as a culprit, parents seeking answers to children's behavioral problems have lumped sugar into the category of hyperactivity-inducing additives.

The Reality

Any food that causes a child's blood sugar to rise may temporarily cause a child to have extra energy. However, candy bars and milkshakes aren't the only foods in the category of foods that influence blood sugar. Carbohydrate foods such as tomatoes and bread will also impact a child's blood sugar. Whether the food causes a quick energy spike or a slow energy spike depends on how much fiber it has. For instance, beans and brown rice tend to give a child a gradual increase in energy, whereas a piece of white bread or a piece of candy is more likely to cause a faster increase. The lack of fiber is more responsible for the energy burst than is the sugar itself. Therefore, a child who adds sugar to his steel-cut oatmeal is unlikely to get that adrenaline rush.

Evidence

According to a 2008 review at the Indiana University School of Medicine, researchers in 12 separate double-blind, randomized and controlled trials detected no behavioral differences between children who had sugar and those who had no sugar. The types of sugar in the study included sugar from chocolate, other sweets and natural sources. Some of the studies that found no difference in behavior also included children who were considered sugar-sensitive and children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Expectations

Expecting your child to act differently after eating sugar may influence your perception of your child's behavior, according to a 1994 study published in the "Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology." In the study, 35 boys whose mothers reported them as "sugar sensitive" were given a dose of a placebo artificial sweetener, aspartame. However, researchers told some of the mothers that their children had received a large amount of sugar and told some of the other mothers that their children received the placebo. The mothers then interacted with their sons under surveillance and were questioned on their interactions. Those who believed their children had sugar rated their sons as being much more hyperactive and they were more likely to control their children with close contact, criticism and observation than mothers who knew their sons had the placebo.

Considerations

If you're still convinced that your child bounces off the walls when she has sugar, consider the environments in which she tends to eat more sugar. Events such as Halloween and birthday parties tend to evoke excitement in children and may circumstantially cause your child to be more hyper than usual. And while some special-occasion sweets may be okay, sugar is still linked to obesity, tooth decay and type 2 diabetes. High-sugar foods also tend have fewer nutrients per calorie than healthier options such as whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables, according to MedlinePlus.