Children who exhibit hyperactivity may be more impulsive, distractible and more physically active than normal, according to MedlinePlus. If you notice your children become hyperactive when eating candy or drinking soda, you may directly link their behavior to their sugar intake. This is a common conclusion, though it may have little scientific support.
The Basis
In 1973, an allergist named Benjamin Feingold created the “Feingold Diet.” Feingold based it on tales from parents who said their children became more restless when consuming foods with additives, according to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The diet only specifically mentioned additives such as artificial flavors and dyes, not sugar. However, parents seeking answers to their children’s behavior have lumped sugar in with the “risky additives” group that Feingold posited. The response of physicians is to sometimes recommend that hyperactive children consume less sugar.
The Truth
Sugar may influence children’s activity level to some extent because it enters and exits the bloodstream rapidly, creating large rises in blood sugar levels, according to MedlinePlus. The body can then respond to the blood sugar increase by sending out adrenaline, which promotes activity. However, sugar itself isn’t the only possible culprit of increased activity; any “fast” carbohydrate — including white rice and white bread — could have similar effects. Additionally, a study published in a 1996 issue of “Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition” reviewed 12 double-blind and placebo-controlled studies of children’s diets and found no correlation between sugar intake and hyperactivity in children with or without Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD.
Parental Factors
Your belief about sugar and your child’s behavior may cause you make presumptions about his activity level, according to an article published in a 1994 issue of the “Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology.” In the study, children their mothers described as “behaviorally sensitive” to consuming sugar were given drinks sweetened with an artificial sweetener. However, researchers told the mothers of one group that their children had received a sugary drink and told the other group of mothers that their children had been given a sugar-free drink. The mothers who believed their children had been drinking a sugary beverage rated their children as more hyperactive than did the mothers who thought their children had sugarless drinks.
Other Factors
One plausible explanation for increased hyperactivity in children who are consuming sugar is the environment in which they tend to have more sugar. For instance, children are more likely to be excited at parties, enjoying other holidays or generally playing with their friends when having sugary treats, according to the American Dietetic Association. Other possible contributors are other ingredients that do cause hyperactivity. For instance, chocolate and cola drinks generally contain caffeine.
References
- “Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition”; Hyperactivity: Is Candy Causal?; D. Krummel, et al; January 1996
- “Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology”; Effects of Sugar Ingestion Expectancies on Mother-Child Interactions; D. Hoover, et al; August 1994
- MedlinePlus: Hyperactivity and Sugar; May 2011
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: True or False: Eating Sugar Tends to Make Children Hyperactive; Jacquelyn Rudis; 2011
- Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia; Sugar High?; John Wills Lloyd; April 2005
- Cornell Center for Materials Research: Sugar Does Not Cause Hyperactive Behavior; May 2000
- American Dietetic Association: Does Sugar Make Kids Hyperactive?
- BabyCenter: Is It True That Sugar Makes Kids Hyperactive?
Member Comments