Scientists are unwrapping the myth that sugary foods and beverages lead to hyperactivity in kids.
For decades, people have been linking symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to sugar consumption.
However, numerous studies have failed to find that sugar affects children’s attention span or behavior.
This is because it’s not the sugar impacting children — rather it may be how eating sugary treats impacts dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, ScienceAlert explained.
When the brain gets a reward, a sweet candy, for instance, a surge of dopamine is released in the brain.
ScienceAlert cited a 2022 study from Nature Communications that explains mice who had a surge in dopamine were more physically active, as though they were given an amphetamine.
Kids may act more hyper when given candy because of the expectation of a reward, although the dopamine is less than if they were given an amphetamine or another psychostimulant.
People with ADHD are thought to have diminished dopamine receptors in their brains.
Some ADHD medications like Ritalin or Concerta are psychostimulants that increase dopamine but at a higher rate than candy does. Unlike the dopamine released from receiving a candy reward, the drugs aid kids with their focus and behavior.
Where the sugar myth began
The myth that sugar could be causing kids’ hyperactivity can be traced back to studies conducted in the 1970s and ’80s that recommended something called the Feingold diet as a treatment for ADHD.
The diet, created by American pediatric allergist Benjamin Feingold, restricts anything with artificial food colors, preservatives and salivates. Sugar wasn’t one of the foods that Feingold criticized, but parents still mistakenly made the connection, because foods with dyes and additives also have high sugar contents, the Washington Post reported.
ScienceAlert said that Feingold’s claims are “overstated,” but acknowledged that some children have allergies to food flavorings and dyes.
More recent studies have linked artificial dyes, including red dye No.3, to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children.
Why the myth remains
Certain expectations — like the belief that sugar will make your kid hyperactive — can change how you perceive things.
A 1994 study published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology found that parents who were told their kids were given a sugary drink, even if they had a placebo without sugar, perceived their kids to be more hyperactive.
While sugar certainly isn’t healthy for your child, it won’t make them bounce off the walls.
Rachel Carter is a health and wellness expert dedicated to helping readers lead healthier lives. With a background in nutrition, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being.
