DETROIT (WWJ) – Fast food, soda and ice cream may be American kids’ favorite menu items, but a new study says junk food is probably the worst thing for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics examined the role of dietary methods for treatment of children with ADHD in cases where medication has proven unsatisfactory or unacceptable.
The study suggests dietary changes, such as avoiding foods that are high in fat and sugar, can be effective in managing the disorder
Dr. J. Gordon Millichap of Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital, who authored the study, said switching your child to healthy foods can ease ADHD. He said this is good news for many people who are opposed to taking medication and looking for an alternative.
“In about 20 percent of cases, people don’t want to use medicine. They are very much adverted to the idea of medication and they want something else,” said Millichap.
The study suggests that people with ADHD could benefit from an “elimination diet, also known as a hypoallergenic diet, which avoids foods most often implicated in food allergies and includes a daily dose of Omega−3 supplement.
Millichap adds, however, that the elimination diet is time-consuming and disruptive to the household, and is not the right solution for every case.
Nonetheless, Millichap believes a healthy diet could be one of the most promising and practical complementary or alternative treatment of ADHD.