We’ve long suspected that the typical Western diet might be the reason why so many children are diagnosed with ADHD today. The brain requires a healthy number of nutrients, essential fatty acids, and amino acids to release and regulate neurotransmitters (brain chemicals responsible for mood, attention, concentration, and impulse control). Although these nutrients can be obtained from a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, the typical Western diet has little room for such healthy options. Why? This type of diet prioritizes the convenience of cooking rather than nutritional value. Unfortunately, these fast food meals are high in fat, refined sugar, and sodium, and offer few nutrients in return. Can such a diet be responsible for the increase of ADHD epidemic among children and teens today?
An exciting new study from Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research may have just confirmed the link between ADHD and Western-style diets. This study, which was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, examined the dietary habits of 1,800 adolescents from the Raine Study, an ongoing long-term health research project. The Raine Study has been tracking the health and diet of these kids since they were born in the late 80s and early 90s.
The diets of the adolescents were classified into two groups. The “Healthy diet” group is characterized by high intakes of fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, and whole grains. This diet tends to be higher in fiber, folate, and omega-3 essential fatty acids. The “Western-style diet” is characterized by fast food takeout, fried food, refined foods, and processed foods. This diet is higher in total fat, saturated fat, sodium, and refined sugar. The dietary patterns were then compared to whether the individual received an ADHD diagnoses before the age of 14. In this study, 115 adolescents were diagnosed with ADHD – 24 girls and 91 boys.
After adjusting the data for other social influences, it seems that those in the Western diet group had double the risk of having an ADHD diagnosis compared to those who ate healthier foods. Lead researcher Dr. Wendy Oddy says, “When we looked at specific foods, having an ADHD diagnosis was associated with a diet high in takeaway foods, processed meats, red meat, high fat dairy products and confectionery.” She also pointed out that the typical Western diet does not provide the essential micronutrients required for proper brain function, especially for tasks like concentration and attention. Not to mention that Western diets contain more artificial additives, flavors, and food dyes, which have been linked to the onset of ADHD in the past. Finally, Dr. Oddy suggests that impulsivity, a hallmark symptom of ADHD, may also lead to poor dietary choices like quick snacks.
Although the study was not able to determine a causal relationship (e.g. researchers are not sure if a poor diet leads to ADHD or if ADHD leads to poor dietary choices), there is definitely a link between ADHD and the typical Western diet. Here’s a little experiment you can try: remove junk food, processed food, fast food, and fried food from your child’s diet for a week. Replace these with lots of green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, and non-processed meats. Are there any noticeable improvements in behavior and overall symptoms?