Hyperactivity Has Other Causes
Think of a birthday party for six year olds. Games. Presents. Entertainment. Balloons. Ice cream. Cake. As the party winds down, the scene turns wild. Two kids take turns leaping off a sofa. Another yells encouragement. Still another runs through the house chasing a cat. A little boy climbs up in a chair to reach for more cake.Parents struggle to restore order. "No sweets for a week," one mother mutters as she ushers her squealing daughter to the door.

Don't Blame Sugar
Imagine the same party-except no ice cream, cake or other sweet treats. Any difference in how the kids behave? No difference at all, according to a large body of scientific evidence.

The American Dietetic Association says, "Claims of an association between sugar and hyperactivity have not been supported, even in those children who, by report, are sensitive to sugar."

A landmark study published in 1994 focused exclusively on behavior of children identified by their parents as having negative reactions to sugar. The research team of Wolraich, Lindgren and Stumbo studied how these children, ages 6 to 10, behaved when given a large amount of sucrose, compared to their behavior on a low-sucrose diet. No differences were identified.

The team did a similar study of pre-schoolers because they are thought to have more food sensitivity than older children. The outcome was the same-no discernible difference in behavior attributable to sugar.

Persistent Myth
These findings have been confirmed by a dozen other studies in recent years. Even so, some parents are quick to blame sugar for hyperactivity. They face "sweet" holidays like Halloween and Valentine's Day with undisguised dread.

It's not the first time the effects of sugar have been misunderstood. A long discredited myth once accused sugar of causing diabetes. Instead, doctors know that diabetes is a failure of the body's ability to handle sugar.

In a case like the fictional birthday party, what most probably happens is that the excitement of the festive atmosphere itself triggers the overly exuberant behavior. One child's energy feeds another. Since sweet refreshments are almost always part of the scene, sugar makes an easy target.

A New Theory
The truth is, some experts believe, sugar might exert a calming effect. It has been studied in connection with negative mood states like seasonal affective disorders and alcohol withdrawal.
The American Dietetic Association reports that food rich in carbohydrates, including sugar, may stimulate the synthesis and release of serotonin in the brain. The ADA notes that "Control of brain levels of serotonin is of current interest for the management of depression, mood disorders and appetite."

What irony if science learns that beneath the sound and fury of a children's birthday party, sugar is actually working to lower the decibel level.