Diet and ADHD: Is There A Connection?
Is there a link between diet and ADHD? Some people swear there is; others believe that’s hogwash.
In an effort to put an end to the debate once and for all, researchers at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago undertook a comprehensive review of 70 studies that have used diet and supplements as treatments for ADHD.
Among the diets reviewed were those that restricted sugar; avoided additives and preservatives (the Feingold diet); eliminated foods associated with allergies; and adding Omega-3 fatty acid supplements.
Their conclusion? According to healthpop, the CBS News blog:
The Feingold Diet, which says to avoid foods like apples, grapes, luncheon meat, hot dogs, cold drinks, and anything else with orange and red dyes, was not proven to be effective by other studies, the researchers said.
What about sugar? On the surface it seems giving a kid too much sugar can boost hyperactivity, but the researchers said the majority of studies it looked at failed to demonstrate that a diet high in sugar or artificial sweeteners had an effect on a child’s behavior or cognitive function, thus questioning the importance of a low-sugar diet for kids with ADHD.
Supplementation with Omega-3 and Omega 6- fatty acids, often found in fish oil supplements, helped some children reduce their ADHD symptoms and get higher grades at school. But the benefit was not clearly demonstrated across the board.
Other studies suggested a reduction in ADHD symptoms from the “hypoallergenic” diet, which cuts out some common allergy-inducing foods like cow’s milk and cheese, nuts, wheat cereal, and chocolate, and replaces them with hypoallergenic foods like lamb, potatoes, tapioca, carrots, and pears.
Bottom Line
Ultimately, the authors concluded that a healthy diet where the mainstays are fish, fruit, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains “seemed to improve symptoms of ADHD.” In contrast, one Australian study found that kids who ate the so called “Western Diet” with the emphasis on animal protein, fast foods, and high-fat dairy products, were more likely to have ADHD than kids who ate the healthy diet.
Just a little food for thought.
February 13th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
The CBS blog about diet and ADHD that discussed Millichamp’s review of studies was way off. The studies he used regarding the Feingold diet were more than 30 years old! Furthermore, he gave inaccurate and misleading information about it. He seems to be unaware of the most important study to date, the McCann study published in The Lancet in 2007. This study was the basis for the decision by the European Parliament to require warning labels on foods with synthetic dyes. By the way, there is no such thing as orange dye used in food in the United States–another one of his various errors about the diet.
One also needs to know that the Feingold diet is used in thousands of families across the country. See the website of the support group at http://www.feingold.org
February 14th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Check out the book “Wheat Belly” by Dr. William Davis, M.D.
March 6th, 2012 at 8:22 am
The old saying holds true: You are what you eat.
March 8th, 2012 at 8:54 am
Check out the NDD by Dr. Sears from a long line of Sears’ books. This one basically says the kids who have poor attention, ADD/ADHD, and many other things that contribute to behavior and academic struggles is from a Nutrition Deficit Disorder and do not need drugs just a diet makeover.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
As the parent of a child with ADHD, let me assure you that there DEFINITELY IS a connection between diet and behavior. I saw changes in my child’s behavior IMMEDIATELY when I completely got rid of food dyes. I take exception with the claim that there are no studies proving this. For anyone who doubts this, look at the Feingold website which lists almost 100 studies showing a connection to ADHD alone plus a myriad of studies relating to other conditions. Basically, anything a person is sensitive to will attack whatever part of their body is their weakest. Besides all this, food dyes are carcinogenic. In fact, Coke and Pepsi are reformulating their products because California has banned caramel coloring. Why are these chemicals allowed in this country at all?
April 19th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
I agree: Good food is certainly worth paying for!!The frozen, processed junk (like Jenny Craig sells) isn’t healthy. And health is priceless!