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Abstract:
Too much sugar might have some hyperactivity effect for a very short time but cannot influence the outcome of ADHD.
Question:
Does sugar cause hyperactivity? Does sugar cause ADHD? Should I restrict sugar to treat conduct problems?
Answer:
There might be a small subgroup of adhd-children with a special sensitivity for some food. Trials of sugar restriction or diets should be restricted to 3 or 4 weeks. A subgroup of children (1-3 %) might show limited benefit, so it could be worth a trial. But diets and restrictive eating patterns are a main cause for the development of eating disorders. Since we have no scientific basis for such an attempt you should better use a multimodal treatment approach.