Thursday 2 February 2017
Source Article: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315626.php?iacp
New research published in the journal Pediatrics has uncovered a link between low adherence to the Mediterranean diet and an increased risk of ADHD.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by poor attention, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2011, approximately 11 percent of children aged between 4 and 17 in the United States have received a diagnosis of ADHD, making it one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood.
Although the precise causes of ADHD are unclear, previous research has suggested that a poor diet may play a role. Some studies have also indicated that healthful diets could help to prevent or treat ADHD, though other research has challenged this theory.
For the new study, team leader María Izquierdo Pulido, of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences of the University of Barcelona in Spain, and colleagues investigated whether a Mediterranean diet might be associated with lower ADHD diagnosis.
The Mediterranean diet is typically high in fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, and low in red meats, eggs, dairy products, and sweets.
A Mediterranean diet is considered by many as the optimal diet for good health, with studies linking this eating pattern to reduced risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and some types of cancer.
Compared with children who had high adherence to a Mediterranean diet, those with a low adherence were more likely to have received a diagnosis of ADHD, the researchers report.
Furthermore, the team identified a higher prevalence of ADHD among children who consumed high amounts of candy and sugary drinks, but low amounts of fatty fish...
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