Hyperactivity: Is candy causal?

Abstract

Adverse behavioral responses to ingestion of any kind of candy have been reported repeatedly in the lay press. Parents and teachers alike attribute excessive motor activity and other disruptive behaviors to candy consumption. However, anecdotal observations of this kind need to be tested scientifically before conclusions can be drawn, and criteria for interpreting diet behavior studies must be rigorous. Ingredients in nonchocolate candy (sugar, artificial food colors), components in chocolate candy (sugar, artificial food colors in coatings, caffeine), and chocolate itself have been investigated for any adverse effects on behavior. Feingold theorized that food additives (artificial colors and flavors) and natural salicylates caused hyperactivity in children and elimination of these components would result in dramatic improvement in behavior. Numerous double-blind studies of the Feingold hypothesis have led to the rejection of the idea that this elimination diet has any benefit beyond the normal placebo effect. Although sugar is widely believed by the public to cause hyperactive behavior, this has not been scientifically substantiated. Twelve double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of sugar challenges failed to provide any evidence that sugar ingestion leads to untoward behavior in children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or in normal children. Likewise, none of the studies testing candy or chocolate found any negative effect of these foods on behavior. For children with behavioral problems, diet-oriented treatment does not appear to be appropriate. Rather, clinicians treating these children recommend a multidisciplinary approach. The goal of diet treatment is to ensure a balanced diet with adequate energy and nutrients for optimal growth.

A reward increases running-wheel performance without changing cell proliferation, neuronal differentiation or cell death in the dentate gyrus of C57BL/6 mice

“…The sudden increase in performance during the first day of rewarded running indicates that the mice quickly learned to associate running and reward and they performed on a high level also during the following days. Hyperactivity due to sugar intake as an explanation for a higher activity level of the rewarded runners is unlikely given that several human studies did not find correlations between a high sugar intake and hyperactivity [45,46]. Also, we observed no overt behavioural differences between the groups.…”

Sugar Intake in Children and Adolescents and Its Effects on Health

“…More recently, it has been hypothesized that long-term excessive exposure to sugar may affect dopamine function, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of children developing attention-defi cit hyperactivity disorder [ 58 ]. Currently, however, the evidence suggests that intake of sugar does not signifi cantly impact behavior [ 59 ].…”

Treatment alternatives for Attention-Deficit! Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

“…A related dietary strategy, simple elimination of sugar or candy, has not garnered convincing scientific support from repeated placebo-controlled acute challenge studies (Krummel, Seligson, & Guthrie, 1996;Wolraich, Wilson, & White, 1995) despite a few encouraging reports (e.g., Goldman, Lerman, Contois, & Udall, 1986). Even a well-controlled 3-week trial of a sugar-restricted diet found no effect (Wolraich, Lindgren, Stumbo, Stegink, Applebaum, & Kiritsy, 1994).…”

“…For example, Krummel et al (1996) warn that coercively enforced parental restrictions on the child's diet (or putting the rest of the family unnecessarily on the same diet) could worsen family dynamics while Lipton and Mayo (1983) say the nonspecific placebo effects are beneficial to families. There is some concern about breadth of nutrient intake on the one hand, and on the other hand the comment that eliminating junk foods improves essential nutrient intake (Rimland, 1983).…”