A leading professor has waded into the debate about ADHD being ’caused’ by poor diet choices – and shared a totally new perspective.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
It affects around five per cent of children in the US. Some 3.6 per cent of boys and 0.85 per cent of girls suffer in the UK, with the majority of diagnoses coming between the ages of 6 and 12.
Symptoms typically appear at an early age and become more noticeable as a child grows. These can include constant fidgeting, excessive movement or talking, acting without thinking and having little to no sense of danger.
ADHD’s exact cause is unclear but is thought to involve genetic mutations that affect a person’s brain function and structure—although many experts (and naysayers) have linked the hyperactivity element of the condition to diet.
Professor Emeritus David Benton, of Swansea University, explained that while people have previously focused on telling the parents of ADHD children to avoid E numbers and additives, perhaps they should look at the bigger picture.
Writing for The Conversation, he asks why the focus hasn’t been on what foodstuffs the chemicals are typically present in—which are predominantly ultra-processed foods (UPFs).
He explained: ‘Having a high intake of additives correlates with a high intake of ultra-processed food – usually a diet high in sugar and fat, while low in fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Numerous studies have uncovered links between fizzy drinks, biscuits and ready meals and a catalogue of health problems (file photo)
‘So, why assume that additives are the problem, and not the rest of the diet?’
UPF is an umbrella term used to cover anything edible made with colourings, sweeteners and preservatives that extend shelf life.
Ready meals, ice cream and tomato ketchup are some of the best-loved examples of products that fall under the umbrella UPF term, now synonymous with foods offering little nutritional value.
They are different to processed foods, which are tinkered to make them last longer or enhance their taste, such as cured meat, cheese and fresh bread.
Numerous studies have uncovered links between fizzy drinks, biscuits and ready meals and a catalogue of health problems, including heart disease and even some cancers.
Professor Benton continued that low-income parents often rely on UPFs in order to feed their families due to cost restrictions, and it might be no coincidence that ADHD is often diagnosed in children from this demographic.
He said: ‘Eating ultra-processed food – and therefore additives – is more common among low-income families, who are also at greater risk of ADHD.
‘To some extent ADHD may be an indication of poverty, and a generally poor diet, reflecting the financial need to eat cheaper ultra-processed foods.’
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioural condition defined by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness (file photo)
However, if you think swapping your child to a diet of whole grains, fresh produce and dietary basics like milk and eggs will help reduce their hyperactivity, Professor Benton disagrees.
He explained that previous studies revealed that even ‘clean’ diets had the potential to cause changes in behaviour.
Citing a study from 1985 in which children were fed a very limited menu before certain foods were gradually reintroduced to see what triggered a reaction, it wasn’t just sweets and fizzy drinks that left them bouncing off the walls.
Professor Benson writes: ‘It found that at least one of the children reacted adversely to 48 of the foods in their diet with signs of hyperactivity.
‘With cows’ milk this was true for 64 per cent of children in the study.
‘For grapes it was 49 per cent, hens’ eggs 29 per cent, fish 23 per cent, apples 13 per cent and tea 10 per cent.
‘These are not ultra-processed foods, but we need to explore whether they contain chemicals that influence the biology of some individuals.’
He added that nearly 80 per cent of them ‘reacted to a preservative and a colouring, although the doses used were greater than would be normally consumed’.
Are UPFs to blame for making children hyperactive?
And, crucially, ‘no child reacted only to these additives, and different children reacted to different foods, only removing additives wouldn’t eliminate symptoms’.
Professor Benton concluded that frustratingly, when it comes to reducing hyperactivity in children with ADHD it’s not a one size fits all solution, and parents need to address their children’s overall diet, not just focus on avoiding certain things.
‘For parents concerned about their child’s ADHD, it’s worth remembering that food additives are unlikely to be the sole cause,’ he said.
‘If a child’s behaviour seems linked to diet, keeping a food diary can help identify patterns.
‘But any elimination diet should be approached with care and expert advice, to avoid doing more harm than good.
‘Ultimately, every child is different, and what works for one may not work for another.’
The UK is the worst in Europe for eating UPFs, which make up an estimated 57 per cent of the national diet.
They are thought to be a key driver of obesity, which costs the NHS around £6.5billion a year treating weight-related disease like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
Last year, disturbing data also suggested that children who ate lots of UPFs show early signs of poor heart health and diabetes risk factors from as young as three years old.