Home Health Do you think your child is hyperactive? I am a nutritionist and here are the surprising foods that will help you control behavior

Do you think your child is hyperactive? I am a nutritionist and here are the surprising foods that will help you control behavior

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According to public health nutritionist and author of 'Nutrition for ADHD and Dyslexia', Dr Emma Derbyshire, there are some truly surprising foods that can affect behaviour.

Joe Wicks sparked controversy last year after claiming that ultra-processed foods could trigger ADHD and that his childhood hyperactivity was triggered by ‘Wagon Wheels and jam sandwiches.’

At the time, his comments were criticized by leading ADHD experts and charities as “misleading”, “incorrect” and even “harmful”.

But last month, Wicks, 39, who rose to fame with his ‘PE With Joe’ workout videos during the Covid lockdowns, clarified his position, arguing that It simply highlighted that certain foods and poor nutrition can affect children’s behavior.

In another Instagram video from last year, she also said, “I think food has a huge impact whether you have ADHD or not.” β€œIt really affects our mood and our ability to sit still and concentrate, even our energy and our mental health.”

Experts have stated that there is no evidence that any particular diet can cause the development of ADHD symptoms.

Others, however, have suggested that there may be a link between the foods we eat and hyperactivity.

So what is the truth? According to public health nutritionist and author of ‘Nutrition for ADHD and Dyslexia’, Dr Emma Derbyshire, there are some truly surprising foods that can affect behaviour.

Here, she tells MailOnline about the dietary changes she recommends to increase feelings of calm in hyperactive children.

According to public health nutritionist and author of ‘Nutrition for ADHD and Dyslexia’, Dr Emma Derbyshire, there are some truly surprising foods that can affect behaviour.

Joe Wicks sparked controversy last year after claiming that ultra-processed foods could trigger ADHD and that his hyperactivity as a child was due to 'Wagon Wheels and jam sandwiches.'

Joe Wicks sparked controversy last year after claiming that ultra-processed foods could trigger ADHD and that his hyperactivity as a child was due to ‘Wagon Wheels and jam sandwiches.’

Learn to love lentils

‘Nutrition cannot cause or cure ADHD. But it has an important place alongside educational and medical interventions,” Dr Derbyshire said.

‘There are ways that diet can help level blood sugar levels. It is thought that reducing these increases could help prevent hyperactivity.’

Eating foods high in sugar is thought to cause faster spikes in blood sugar levels. Research has long linked blood sugar levels to energy levels.

Ensuring meals have a key source of protein is one way to help “prevent spikes,” he added.

This could include adding egg slices in a lunch box, fish in salads or on top of crackers or green lentils in sauce.

‘Low-sugar beans on a baked potato or slices of lean meat and poultry with lunch or dinner can help increase feelings of satiety and level blood sugar levels.

According to the NHS, some research has also suggested that oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines, all of which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, “may help reduce behavioral problems and promote brain function.”

Dr Derbyshire added: ‘We know that omega-3 fatty acids are potentially helpful for people with hyperactivity.

“It has been found that children and adolescents with ADHD tend to have lower blood levels of docosahexaenoic acid and rebalancing this can potentially help with attention.”

Fascinating graphs show how prescriptions for ADHD have increased over time, with patient demographics shifting from children to adults, with women in particular now driving the rise.

Fascinating graphs show how prescriptions for ADHD have increased over time, with patient demographics shifting from children to adults, with women in particular now driving the rise.

Switch to whole grains

“Complex carbohydrates, those that tend to be higher in fiber, can also help balance blood sugar levels,” Dr. Derbyshire said.

“They can also keep you fuller for longer, which helps avoid snacking on high-sugar foods.”

This is because complex carbohydrates break down slowly in children’s intestines and release energy slowly.

Fruits and vegetables (with skin whenever possible), roast potatoes, whole wheat bread, pasta and rice are excellent examples of complex carbohydrates, he added.

In contrast, simple carbohydrates, such as white bread and pasta, are broken down much more quickly, which can affect attention span and behavior.

“For children with hyperactivity, it is advisable to write down in a diary or on your cell phone what they eat throughout the day for a few days,” he added.

‘How many snacks are they having? Are they refined/highly processed? How many sodas are they drinking? The ideal would be to limit the number of snacks and sugary drinks.’

'Brightly colored energy drinks attract children's attention and appeal. But while they may look great from the outside, what they can do on the inside isn't as appealing.

‘Brightly colored energy drinks attract children’s attention and appeal. But while they may look great from the outside, what they can do on the inside isn’t as attractive,” Dr. Derbyshire said.

1737196420 99 Do you think your child is hyperactive I am a

Ditch the energy drinks

With some brands available for as little as 25p a can, many energy drinks can be cheaper than bottled water and are a popular stimulant among young people.

There are no legal restrictions on the sale of energy drinks to under 16s in the UK. However, many retailers have voluntarily stopped selling energy drinks to this age group.

‘Brightly colored energy drinks attract children’s attention and appeal.

“But while they may look great from the outside, what they can do on the inside is not so pretty,” Dr. Derbyshire said.

Common ingredients found in cans include stimulants like caffeine, as well as herbal extracts like guarana, taurine, ginseng, and carnitine to boost energy.

But they also contain “surprisingly high amounts of added sugars,” he added.

A US study published in 2015 involving more than 1,000 high school students found that those who consumed energy drinks were 66 percent more likely to be hyperactive.

writing in the diary Academic PediatricsThe researchers also found that the risk of hyperactivity increased by 14 percent for each drink consumed.

Energy drinks have very high levels of ingredients that have powerful effects on the body. Some brands can have up to 160 mg of caffeine, almost triple that of instant coffee, almost 10 times the level of taurine, an amino acid commonly found in meat, fish and eggs, such as a salmon fillet and the same amount of sugar than a whole Coca-Cola

Energy drinks have very high levels of ingredients that have powerful effects on the body. Some brands can have up to 160 mg of caffeine, almost triple that of instant coffee, almost 10 times the level of taurine, an amino acid commonly found in meat, fish and eggs, such as a salmon fillet and the same amount of sugar than a whole Coca-Cola

Drinks like Red Bull, Prime and Monster can have up to 150 mg of caffeine. For comparison, a 250ml cup of coffee has around 90mg.

Drinks like Red Bull, Prime and Monster can have up to 150 mg of caffeine. In comparison, a 250 ml cup of coffee has around 90 mg.

1737196421 16 Do you think your child is hyperactive I am a

“Some ultra-processed foods, such as fortified low-sugar cereals, have their place in diets,” Dr. Derbyshire said.

Processed snacks aren’t all bad

Research has long suggested that excessive sugar consumption has no benefits for young minds.

writing for The conversation Recently, Amy Reichelt, nutritional neuroscientist and senior lecturer at the University of Adelaidealso said, “Neuroimaging studies show that the brains of children who eat more processed snacks have a smaller volume, particularly in the frontal cortex, than those of children who eat a healthier diet.”

But Dr. Derbyshire warned that eating some processed foods will not harm children.

“Some ultra-processed foods, such as low-sugar fortified cereals, have their place in diets,” he said.

‘It is more important to control food coloring and levels of added sugars.

“Some research has found possible links between certain food dyes and hyperactivity in children and young people.”

According to the UK Food Standards Agency, six food colorings have been closely linked to hyperactivity in children.

These include E102 or tartrazine, E104 or quinoline yellow, and E110 (orange yellow).

Among others, there are E122 or carmosine, E124, also called ponceau, and E129 or allura red.

“Sometimes the font on food labels can be small, so you need to search food product websites to see if any of them are listed,” Dr. Derbyshire said.

‘This doesn’t have to apply to all foods, just those that look extra shiny in an unnatural way.

‘If foods contain any of these, labels must state “may have an adverse effect on the activity and attention of children.”‘

  • Nutrition for ADHD and Dyslexia: Unlocking Learning and Wellbeing Potential by Dr Emma Derbyshire will be released January 21

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