It has been a common belief in our society for years. Sugary foodstuff will make your children hyperactive. But is this belief founded upon myth or reality?

Excess sugar certainly has been proven to cause tooth decay and obesity, but there is no current scientific evidence supporting any connection between hyperactivity and sugar consumption.

Dr. Vreeman and Dr. Carroll, who are both pediatricians at Riley Hospital for Children, report that “in at least 12 double-blinded, randomized, controlled trials, scientists have examined how children react to diets containing different levels of sugar. None of the studies, not even studies looking specifically at children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, could detect any differences in behavior between the children who had sugar and those who did not.”

How did this misconception begin?

The idea was first introduced to the world by Benjamin Feingold. Mr. Feingold wrote a popular diet book that contained first hand accounts of parents who reported sugary foods and drinks altered the behavior of their children.

Yet, studies show that only that parents who believe sugar will cause hyperactivity in their children will notice the effect. Parents that do not believe in it are extremely less likely to notice hyperactivity in their children. Physicians know this and will recommend the children be put on low calorie diets not for the sake of the children, but for the sake of the parents.

Though, just because children won’t become hyperactive by sugar does not mean they should carelessly be given sugar. Diabetes and obesity are very real disorders caused by sugary diets. Sugar is also the largest contributing factor for the formation of cavities and tooth decay.

Citations:
The British Medical Journal
Medical News Today