| Sugar is now the third food ingredient after salt and fat | | | | effects were observed several hours after children |
| that people want to eliminate from their diet. Their main | | | | had consumed either a sugar containing food, an |
| reason is the belief that sugar has a detrimental effect | | | | artificial sweetener or a placebo such as saccharin. |
| to behavior. Since the introduction of the Feingold diet | | | | Next the cognitive and hyperactive behaviors were |
| in the 1970's, suggesting children's behavior will change | | | | recorded in children with ADHD, normal children and in |
| when they have a diet free from salicylates, artificial | | | | children whose parents thought they were sensitive to |
| sweeteners and colours, people are questioning the | | | | sugar. Most of these cases found that sugar did not |
| affect of sugar and hyperactivity in the diet of | | | | play a role in hyperactivity. (Nutrition Review, 1994) |
| preschool and school-age children. Concerned parents | | | | A study conducted by Wolraich and colleagues in |
| believe that there is a link between a child's diet and | | | | 1994, that lasted for nine weeks concluded that even |
| behavior. However the majority of studies have not | | | | when dietary intakes are higher than recommended, |
| found a connection between the two. | | | | sucrose or aspartame had no effect on children's |
| Hyperactivity in children is now called attention deficit | | | | behavior. A double blind controlled study (48 people) |
| hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and it is estimated that it | | | | with two groups of children pre-school (3-5yrs) and |
| affects 3% of pre-adolescent children, with the | | | | school-age children (6-10 yrs) who were described by |
| disorder more common in boys than girls and also | | | | their parents as sugar sensitive were put on three |
| mainly in pre-school children. Major features of | | | | different diets. One diet was high in sucrose and had |
| behavior are impulsiveness, low tolerance to frustration, | | | | no artificial sweeteners, another was low in sucrose |
| short attention span, easy distraction and some | | | | and had aspartame, and the final diet was low in |
| violence. | | | | sucrose and had a placebo (saccharin). All diets were |
| What causes hyperactivity? | | | | free from additives, colours and preservatives. |
| Refined sugars like sucrose and aspartame are | | | | Behavior was evaluated weekly and all foods were |
| considered sources for hyperactivity. | | | | provided for the nine weeks. Independent observers |
| There have been different hypothesis proposed in the | | | | evaluated the children weekly so as not to rely on |
| linking of sugar and hyperactivity. Firstly, an allergic | | | | parents for their own interpretation of results. Results |
| response to sugar, secondly a rise in blood sugar level | | | | strongly indicated that sucrose and aspartame did not |
| following ingestion and then after a few hours | | | | cause hyperactivity. (Wolraich et al, 1994) |
| hypoglycaemia. The low blood sugar levels will | | | | Another study done in 1995 correlated results from 12 |
| stimulate the production of epinephrine, which could | | | | years of studying the effects of sugar from 1982-1994. |
| cause behavioral changes. These levels are seen | | | | Results again showed that sugar did not affect the |
| mainly in those people on high carbohydrate diets and | | | | behavior of children. (Wolraich et al, 1995) |
| by consuming a diet high in protein, can prevent the | | | | Conclusion |
| low blood sugars. The reaction to aspartame is linked | | | | The question still remains "why do parents not want |
| to the possibility of elevated phenylalanine | | | | their children to take sugar?" |
| concentrations. Phenylalanine is a large amino acid that | | | | When a child is "hyper" at a party it may be just that |
| may inhibit serotonin, although this hasn't been proved. | | | | they are excited and their mood is high, but a parent |
| In a study on aspartame done in 1998, it was found | | | | may assume that this is due to excessive sugar intake. |
| that elevated concentrations of phenylalanine had little | | | | When a parent observes the public debate over sugar |
| effect on mood, activity levels, behavior ratings or | | | | and hyperactivity, they may be more expectant of a |
| cognitive results in participating children. | | | | reaction. It is possible also that a cause and effect |
| There have been many controlled studies done, but | | | | relationship is occurring, whereby the behavior caused |
| these were found to have problems with duration of | | | | the increased sugar intake. There may also be a |
| experiment, and dosage levels. It has been argued that | | | | psychological link to do with the change in the child's |
| only single doses of sucrose were ingested and this | | | | behavior when they are receiving more attention |
| amount was too small to observe any behavioral | | | | during the preparation of food for the diet. The child is |
| effects. The majority of experiments conducted | | | | getting more attention and so their behavior improves. |
| involved dietary challenges where the behavioral | | | | |