Is it true that sweets make children hyperactive?

There is a widespread belief among parents that sweet soda, cakes and muffins, due to the large amount of glucose in their composition, make children hyperactive, disobedient and restless. We decided to check whether there is scientific evidence of this effect of sugar on children's behavior.

About what sugary foods and drinks do to children naughty and restless, they often write in parental forums and websites O education. Sugar's effect on children compare with caffeine and even with narcotic drugs. Doctors warn about the negative consequences of consuming sugar: supposedly “it leads to hyperactivity and mood swings, disrupts brain function, reduces immunity,” may provoke “aggressive behavior or even bipolar disorder.” Some sites even offer using sugar, check the child for the presence of hyperactivity disorder and attention deficit disorder: “Give your sweet little fish as much sweets as he can fit, within reasonable limits, of course. Have a “belly celebration”! Approximately 45-55% of children turn into a “rabid rabbit”. This is according to the parents. Here there is hyperactivity, screaming, whims, scandals, increased pugnacity, etc.” Even in English exists a special term is sugar rush, which describes excited behavior after eating sweets.

Once in the body, sugar is converted into glucose, a quickly digestible substance that provides a large amount of energy in a short period of time. Therefore, sweet snacks are recommended both during strenuous physical activity and while solving complex mental problems. For example, marathon runners prefer eat chocolate bars before the race, and Rospotrebnadzor during the Unified State Exam allows Schoolchildren should only take water and chocolate with them. Moreover, many of us have noticed from our own example that as soon as we eat something sweet, strength and energy immediately appear. 

In 1995, a group of scientists led by American pediatrician Mark Wohlreich spent meta-analysis, selecting 23 already published studies using the keywords “sugar”, “sucrose” and “attention deficit”. All of the selected experiments used a placebo, a sweetener, in addition to sugar, and participants and researchers did not know at the time of the study who was actually receiving what. That is, the experiments were blind and randomized, this allowed us to obtain the most reliable data. After analyzing these 23 publications, the authors of the meta-analysis found no relationship between sugar consumption and changes in children's behavior or cognitive abilities.

To confirm his findings, Mark Vopraich spent one experiment on your own. He gathered a group of 25 preschoolers (3 - 5 years old) and 23 schoolchildren (6 - 10 years old), as well as their parents. The experiment included three periods of three weeks, in each of which the children adhered to a specific diet. For the first three weeks, the children consumed a lot of sugar and no artificial sweeteners. In the second period, sugar was greatly limited and aspartame was used as a sweetener. The third diet was also low in sugar, and the sweetener was saccharin. Analysis of the results showed that changing the amount of sugar in the children's diet had no effect on their behavior. 

Where then did the belief come from that sweets make children uncontrollable? Closest to the answer came up scientists from Kansas. The experiment involved 35 children aged 5 to 7 years and their mothers. They were divided into two parts - an experimental group and a control group. In the experimental group, parents were told that their children drank a drink high in sugar, while the control group was told that instead of natural sugar, it contained artificial sweetener. In fact, all children in both groups received a drink sweetened with aspartame. After this, the children and parents played together for a while, with the experimenters documenting the interaction on video. At the end of the experiment, parents were asked to share their observations. Those adults who thought their children had received natural sugar described them as hyperactive, less obedient and more uncontrollable. In the group where the parents thought that the child only received a sweetener, they talked about the good behavior of their children and their calmness. After reviewing the video, the scientists also noted that mothers who believed that their child received sugar were more critical, tried to be physically closer, constantly maintained eye contact, and had much more control over their children's behavior.

Thus, sugar, or rather the expectation of it, changed not the behavior of children, but the behavior of their parents, making them more strict and demanding of discipline. Psychologists suggestthat in a situation where a child ate too much sweets at a friend’s birthday party, the big provoking factor for bad behavior will be the atmosphere of celebration and fun, and not the large amount of sugar that has entered the body. 

At the same time, some scientists suggest the possible role of sugar in the development of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They note that in recent years, sugar consumption among children in the United States has increased, and along with this, the diagnosis of ADHD has become more common. However, there is currently no evidence that a specific type of diet provokes the development of the disease. In observing 107 schoolchildren, scientists came concluded that “no significant associations were found between total dietary sugar intake and the risk of developing ADHD.” In a 2019 meta-review, the researchers noted that "there are observations that diets high in refined sugar and saturated fat may increase the risk of ADHD," but due to the design of the experiments reviewed, the evidence for this theory is extremely weak and requires further study.

It is also worth noting that the exact causes of ADHD are still unknown. Scientists suggestthat genetic predisposition may play a significant role, as well as exposure to toxic substances (lead), smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy, premature birth and low birth weight. CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) experts note that research does not support the common belief that ADHD can be caused by eating too much sugar. In the official newsletter UNICEF ADHD also makes no mention of sugar as a trigger. 

Thus, there is no scientific evidence that sugar negatively affects the behavior of children. At the same time, thinking that the child will behave worse after eating sweets, he plays a cruel joke on the parents, they become more critical of their child and demand more obedience.

Cover image: Pixabay

Not true

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