A proper diet may protect against ADHD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that affects a few percent of children. It is a serious problem, impeding learning and disrupting social relationships. It can be treated with medication, but other treatments are also being explored.

Different sources report a widely varying prevalence of ADHD. Depending on the accepted criteria for diagnosis, it ranges from 3-8%.

ADHD symptoms are most severe between the ages of 6 and 9 years of a child. During this period he begins his "school life" - he has to adapt to its rigors and rules, which in the case of hyperactive children proves to be a difficult task.

Until recently, it was thought that ADHD was more common in boys, but nowadays more and more data indicate that girls suffer from the disorder just as often. Unlike boys, in whom hyperactivity symptoms usually come to the fore, girls are more likely to be dominated by attention deficit disorder and may thus be misdiagnosed. In the absence of problematic, impulsive behavior, their learning troubles due to attention deficit disorder are easily misattributed to weaker intellectual abilities.

Scientists from Wageningen University in the Netherlands have shown that an effective method of reducing ADHD symptoms may be a change in diet. Eliminating certain foods from the diet leads to a drastic improvement in behavior. A scientific paper on this subject was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Diet reduced ADHD symptoms and changed brain activity

The researchers used a so-called oligoantigen diet. The 53 children involved in the study were on it for five weeks. After that time, their parents saw a definite reduction in ADHD symptoms.

To confirm the effects, the scientists compared the brain activity of the study participants. They performed a nuclear resonance imaging (MRI) scan on them before the diet was included and after five weeks of following it.

They found that the diet increased the activity of an area of the brain called the prefrontal lobe. The activity of this part of the parietal lobe decreases in AHDH, and increases under the influence of ADHD drugs such as methylphenidate, among others. This effect was observed in more than 60 percent of the children studied.

“This is an important step in research on ADHD and nutrition. We have shown that the diet leads not only to a subjective change in symptoms, but also to objectively confirmed changes in brain activity”, explains study leader Dr. Saartje Hontelez of Wageningen University.

What is the oligoantigen diet?

When used in children with ADHD, the diet aims to limit the antigens that can trigger food intolerance symptoms. It is called the “few foods diet” or the “oligoantigenic diet”. It is an elimination diet.

In the first phase, the diet is restricted to a small number of products:

• rice,
• turkey,
• some vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, beets, sprouts),
• pears,
• olive oil,
• clarified butter,
• salt,
• water and calcium-fortified drinks.

Then, other foods such as lamb, small portions of wheat, corn, and potato products, some fruits, and honey may gradually be introduced. Such a diet should be introduced under the supervision of a doctor and dietician. You also need to observe your child to determine which foods trigger ADHD symptoms.

Sugar does not cause hyperactivity in children

Contrary to a widespread myth, sugar does not play a significant role in hyperactivity in children. This belief came from one study conducted in the 1970s. It showed that children with ADHD may have what is known as reactive hypoglycemia.

Subsequent, more rigorous studies, however, have found no link between the presence of sugar in the diet and symptoms of hyperactivity and children’s behavior in general. Of course, large amounts of easily digestible carbohydrates such as sucrose (white table sugar) promote overweight and obesity, metabolic disorders, and tooth decay.

Dog therapy helps with ADHD

The use of animals in therapy has been questionable for years, especially when it comes to effectiveness. However, a pioneering study conducted at the University of California, Irvine, shows that dog therapists help children suffering from AHDH.

“Dog therapy improves concentration and social skills. Importantly, the positive effects appeared quite quickly, after only eight weeks,” says study leader Dr. Sabrina Schuck adds.

However, that the therapy had no significant effect on the children’s hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Sources: Scientific Reports, Human-Animal Interaction