Do you think that ADD is the result of bad diet?

Question

I am student teaching in a kindergarten class and have a 10 month old daughter as well. However, I've noticed an increase in the number of kids being reported with ADD and doing a research paper.. But here is the thing - it seems 20 years ago ADD was not as prevelant or just not diagnosed - but do you think perhaps the increase is related to diet. For example one of my students is always a bit hyper - and I saw the mother put a red bull and a soda in his lunch (kindergarten ok!!) and I got to wondering - do people just feed their kids c**p and are they just on constant sugar highs????? Since the availability of soda, fast food, and processed foods is more prevalent in todays society.. compared to 20 years ago - is there a relationships? Just a questions.. your thoughts? I mean.. look at all the "kids" snacks.. chocolate pudding, "fruit" rollups, lucky charms (marshmellows in cereal?)....hmm maybe kids are just not eating healthy???

Answer 1

I attribute it to:  Soda, White sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Articifical Sweetners, etc.

Most people do not read the labels on the food they buy or consume.

Have you ever read the label on the pancake syrup in most restaurants?  It usually contains propylene glycol !!

That's the major component of ANTIFREEZE!

Answer 2

I think ADD/ADHD is a result of bad parenting, not spending enough quality time with the child

Answer 3

ok, you're lumping all hyper active kids into one group.

One, ADHD meds are stimulants and if a child is REALLY ADHD, then a Red Bull will calm them down. As for putting it in the lunchbox of a 5 or 6 year old? YIKES!

Even taking all the processed foods out of my children's diets, they still NEED their ADHD meds. Those are Mommy's little bottles of sanity. I can only imagine how a teacher would feel about my kids off meds if they went to school (we homeschool).

Some of the situations are caused by poor diets and sometimes ADHD can be controlled with diet. I think like any other disorder, there are different levels. Like diabetes, for instance, some can control  with diet, some with pills, others need insulin.

NO, NOT ALL ADHD IS A RESULT OF DIET. sorry for yelling, but it frustrates me to no end.

Answer 4

ADHD is a result of the hormones and s***s put in American food (such as McDonald's). No other country has ADHD or ODD.

Answer 5

Honestly i wish it was then we could just switch diets and be ok.  I have Adult ADD but I had it as a child they just didn't catch it and my parents were picky about my diet.  They do say RedDye though is a big factor and that is in so many things.  Real ADD and ADHD can't be helped with just diet changes as it is a hormonal imbalance in the brain but taking away the caffinee, sugary stuff and reddye can help make it less severe.  I don't know what some parents are thinking with the energy drinks, caffine, sugar, Reddye and all that and just giving it to their kids whenever they want it, then complaining when their kids can't sit still.  I know for me I had a good diet when i was younger and still had problems with ADD but I wasn't hyper because i wasn't allowed much sugar or pop.  My son has ADHD and with Reddye he is horrible to be around but he does ok with small amounts of caffine and sugar.  So I guess really i would say diet affects ADHD somewhat but not ADD (since that is an attention problem and they arent hyper).

Answer 6

It is not ADD anymore.  Its ADHD.

Kids have always eaten junk..thats part of life.  I believe it is parental laziness in most cases (not all).  By the way, being hyper is part of childhood.  It is not abnormal for a child to be hyper and not be able to sit still.

Answer 7

I definately think that diet is a big factor of ADHD, not so much the childs diet, but the mothers diet while she is pregnant.  My cousin has ADHD and her birth-mother lived on sugary food and lollies.

Answer 8

for starters i believe very much so that yes many of these children are on constant sugar highs from the c**p the parents feed them and are NOT truely ADD. i also believe firmly that the increase in diagnosis is not due to an actual increase in cases but an increase in the amount of doctors who are out to make a buck by prescribing certain medications. While i do recognize that ADD is most definately a real disorder i highly believe it is a cop-out for parents who don't know how to handle their children appropriately.

Answer 9

No I don't think true ADHD is the result of diet.    My husband has been ADHD from the time he was a little kid and he didn't have access to all the garbage that is available now.  

My brother would have been dx'd with ADHD back when he was in school as well.    We're talking 40 some odd years ago here.  

However, I do think diet can make things worse.   My daughter has ADHD now.  She reacts badly to blue dye.   We don't let her eat much sugar, just the odd treat.   We don't do sugary cereal or fast foods.  

If it was bad parenting then my other kids would be in the same boat as her and that's not the case.    She inherited it from her dad.

Answer 10

I wish I could fix my ADHD by diet.  I was never given meds when I was in school because my parents didn't believe there was anything wrong with me.  As a result, I got worse grades than I should have because I couldn't concentrate.

As a 22 year old with ADHD, I can't watch movies or hold on normal conversations with people.  I also have to give up my keys to my car sometimes to my husband because I can't focus on the road.

I think kids may be hyper because of foods, but not have ADHD.

Answer 11

Parents do feed their kids c**p these days.  I am trying not to be one of them but my neighbor calls me the food police.  I see kids lunches at school because I go eat with my 3rd grader almost weekly.  I see kids barely touch their hot lunch and eat only snacks out of the lunch from home.  Cookies and soda have no place at school.  BTW...ADHD is not a result of people ignoring their kids as one respondent said.  It is a proven disorder and I have spent more quality time with my kids than most parents I know including my own!

Answer 12

I think diet plays an important part in any diagnosis! My kids react to sugar - high energy level followed by crankiness and intolerance. I avoid high sugar, high carb meals or treats especially on school days! We avoid red dye, processed meats and soda is a treat on the weekend.

My youngest has been diagnosed with ADD, not ADHD. She simply cannot focus on the task at hand and is now on meds- lowest dose at this point. The difference in her test scores is astounding! Her personality is no different and the teachers and I agree that you cannot tell by her behavior that she is on medication, but she definitely is learning and retaining at a much higher level than ever before.

Both my brother and her father were diagnosed with ADHD in the early 70s' so my pediatrician wasn't surprised with her findings. My son has been diagnosed borderline ADD but we employ different learning strategies and study habits to help him focus and it has been enough for him.

Answer 13

I am a forty-something gramma of a 5yr old grandaughter ( I am raising) I was never diagnosed with ADD (that term is still used ) but I believe I have it , my daughter was diagnosed with it and my grandaughter is diagnosed with ADD as well. My daughter was put on Ritalin, and had terrible side effects , my grandaughter was put on Ritalin with the same outcome ( even though I had an open mind .  Someone in the Early Childhood system mentioned that they had heard good things about Omega 3 , have been including into granddaughters regular diet in the form of a capsule for her which was recommended by a Homoeopathic pharmacist and have had aw some results ,even my grandaughter notices the improvement and is very proud of herself which adds to her self esteem plus we have changed our own diets as well . Also there is a difference between ADD and ADHD good luck

Answer 14

Yes, I think bad diet could contribute to ADHD rise.

My best-friend has a son (4) who has been diagnosing recently. He has a terrible diet. Eats most of the things you have pointed out.

Answer 15

absolutly ...some are related to food (most probably) many kids are sensitive to colours. It is not actually the sugar. Studies have proven it is not the sugar that hypes kids but it is the colours in those sugars. There is too much processed food these days and also what they do to meat is scary