There is not enough information around nutrition and the role it plays in a child’s behaviour, including mood, concentration levels and overall wellbeing – especially when it comes to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly referred to as ADHD. There is a direct correlation between what we eat and our health, mood, ability to feel our best and brain chemistry. Over the past 30 years, there has been a change in our food habits and supply, the quality of food has been altered and there’s an increasing number of processed food, food chemicals, additives, colourants and sugar in our food that can affect us in multiple ways.
Vanessa Ascencao, a nutritional consultant at VDA Nutrition, lists the common triggers that can cause behavioural problems:
Blood sugar imbalances and skipping meals
Keeping blood sugar levels stable is of the utmost importance in both children and adults. Teachers often report that children who have skipped breakfast are less attentive and more disruptive in class. Studies have shown that children who eat breakfast retain information better.
Food intolerance
Many foods contain chemicals; many of these are naturally occurring preservatives, colours and flavour enhancers. Food intolerance is a reaction to a food type or chemical in food – whether naturally occurring (e.g. salicylates, amines, glutamate, monosodium glutamate (MSG)) or artificially added (e.g. preservatives, colours, flavours). People who are sensitive to natural food chemicals are also very likely to be sensitive to food additives such as artificial colours, flavours and added preservatives.
Food allergies:
Food allergies occur when the immune system produces a hypersensitive antibody response to food. Food allergy is mainly a problem for infants, toddlers and young children. The most common food allergens are peanuts, egg, milk, seafood, sesame, wheat and soy. Teachers and parents often report that they notice behavioural changes, increased outbursts, inability to concentrate and hyperactivity as well as increased behavioural difficulties when children have food allergies and intolerance’s or too much sugar and processed food in their diets.
The area looking at reactions to food is still controversial, and a lot of research is going into it. But, without a doubt, it is definitely worth eating a healthy diet for overall long-term health, and especially making wise nutritional choices for your child.
