A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics looks at the possible link between diet and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The study, titled “The Diet Factor in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,” was authored by neurologist J. Gordon Millichap and nurse-practitioner Michelle M. Yee, both of whom specialize in ADHD at Chicago's Children’s Memorial Hospital. The study's exploration of the link between food sensitivities and ADHD was recently detailed in TIME Magazine.
The researchers found that some kids with ADHD are sensitive to additives and preservatives. Removing such additives from kids' diets could help relieve their ADHD symptoms. The same goes for children with known food allergies. However, they found that sugar and aspartame, which some have believed to be linked to ADHD, did not seem to have an effect on symptoms.
Interestingly, the authors noted that regardless of the scientific data, some parents had strong opinions about how their child's diet affected his or her behavior. For example, they wrote “In practice, the link between sugar and hyperactive behavior is so universal in the opinion of parents of children with ADHD that no controlled study or physician counsel is likely to change this perception.”
In conclusion, the authors say that the link between food sensitivities and ADHD remains uncertain, and more research must be done.
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