Does Sugar Affect Hyperactivity?

Sheila told me the other day that she had again taken sugar from her son's diet. He was convinced by what he heard and from his own experience that consuming sugar from his diet would reduce his hyperactivity.

Many people claim that sugars (such as sucrose), aspartam (NutraSweet), and artificial flavors and colors cause hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children. Unfortunately, it's not so easy.

The notion that food could influence behavior became increasingly popular in 1973 when an allergen, Benjamin Feingold, M.D., published the Feingold Diet. She organizes a free diet of food coloring and artificial flavors to treat hyperactivity. Many parents have concluded that dietary supplements, including sugar, should be avoided. *

However, a double-blind study - in which both children, their parents, and researchers knew which children had sugar and who received the placebo - showed that The sugars in the diet do not affect children's behavior. (ibid.)

On the other hand, refined sugars (processed) may have a temporary effect on children's activity levels. Because refined sugars and carbohydrates enter the bloodstream quickly, they produce rapid fluctuations in blood glucose levels. This process may trigger adrenaline and make children more active. **

Therefore, the observation that consuming sugar has an immediate effect on behavior is completely credible. However, just like any other process in us, blood glucose levels do not last. And for children who do not need to watch their blood glucose levels (e.g., when they have diabetes), eliminating sugar does not solve hyperactive problems.

In addition, the expectation that sugar will affect a child's level of activity affects how we perceive the child's behavior. A study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology August 1994 shows that parents who believe that children's behavior is affected by sugar are more likely to see their children as hyperactive when they are led to believe that the child has just had a sweet drink ( WebMD.com).

Instead, it is the whole context in which the child is being managed that affects his behavior. Monitoring the amount of sugar in your diet is healthy in terms of tooth decay and nutrition; using proper behavior management techniques and setting boundaries with love and consistency will help to be hyperactive.

* Summary by Dr. Michael Regalado at WebMD.com.

** Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia

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