Food and Behaviour Research

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9 Jan 2012 - MedPage Today - Pediatric Study: 'Healthy' Diet Best for ADHD Kids

By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today

Fast foods, sodas, and ice cream may be American kids' favorite menu items, but they're also probably the worst for those with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new literature review suggests.

FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:

It is good to see recognition of the increasing evidence that diet really can play a role in managing ADHD-type symptoms.

Furthermore, this important new review does a very good job of distinguishing between dietary approaches that are likely to help only small subgroups of ADHD children (and which usually require professional assistance as well as considerable effort), and those which are suitable for anyone wanting to reduce attentional problems, hyperactivity or impulsivity.

For more details, please use the link below to read the full article on MedPage today. See also:

According to two researchers from Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, a relatively simple diet low in fats and high in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables is one of the best alternatives to drug therapy for ADHD. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements have also been shown to help in some controlled studies, they noted.

Writing online in Pediatrics, J. Gordon Millichap, MD, and Michelle M. Yee, CPNP, reviewed nearly 70 publications on diet-based interventions in ADHD, emphasizing recent research and controlled trials.

They noted that diet is one established contributor to ADHD that parents can modify.