Anyone watching preschoolers chase each other around a birthday party might surmise a distinctive link between sugar and hyperactivity. For years, the common wisdom shared by parents, teachers and even pediatricians has been that too much sugar increases hyperactive behavior. However, research has shown that sugar consumption has no affect on ADHD symptoms. Despite this, some experts still recommend limiting sugar or other additives in the diets of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While sugar certainly can have negative effects on children, hyperactivity is not one of them.
Candy and Hyperactivity
The link between sugar and hyperactivity persists in popular culture even though it was disproven in 1995 in a study by Vanderbilt University. In the study, children showed no significant changes in behavior or cognitive ability when given large amounts of sugar, even when their parents believed them to be sensitive to sugar. A 2009 study of a "junk food diet" including high levels of processed foods and sugary drinks did find a connection, albeit a weak one, between processed food and problem behaviors, but it was not related to the level of sugar consumption.
Known Effects of Sugar
Although sugar does not cause hyperactivity, it can cause health problems. Sugar-sweetened drinks are linked to an increase in obesity among children, according to research conducted at Children's Hospital in Boston. Sugar also adheres to children's teeth and causes tooth decay when it is allowed to sit on teeth without rinsing or brushing. Eating large amounts of sugar is has been associated with higher HDL levels and higher levels of triglycerides, which in turn are associated with heart disease.
What Causes Hyperactivity?
Hyperactive behavior may be caused by genes, brain injuries, or environmental factors such as exposure to cigarette smoke or lead. Some food colorings added to the drinks of children may also cause an increase in hyperactive behavior, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. The excitement of a situation, such a birthday party, can cause children to be unusually active. Adults sometimes conclude that sugar is the cause of the behavior, perpetuating the myth that sugar causes hyperactivity.
Coping with Hyperactivity
Although hyperactive behavior can not be controlled by limiting candy and other sugary foods, there are ways to help children with hyperactivity learn new behaviors and control their impulses. Some recommendations from the U.S. Department of Education include maintaining a consistent daily routine, using a system of discrete rewards and consequences for behavior, giving directions one step at a time instead of all at once and reducing environmental distractions. Special events like holidays or birthday parties make it difficult to be consistent, but do your best to prepare your child for the event, instead of expecting problems because of candy consumption.
References
- Inside ADHD; Does Sugar Really Cause Hyperactivity?; Pravint Pant
- The New England Journal of Medicine; Effects of Diets High in Sucrose...; Mark L. Wolraich, et. al; 1994
- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition; "Junk Food" Diet and Childhood...; P. Emmett, et. al; 2011
- Lancet; Relation Between Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Drinks and Childhood...; D.S. Ludwig, et. al; 2001
- USA Today Magazine; Take Just a Little Candy, So As to Leave the Cavities; 2010
- "Diabetes Forecast"; Not So Sweet; 2010
Member Comments