Researchers in Perth, Australia have found that hyperactivity disorders are associated to western diets in teenagers. The study was carried out by the Telethon Institute for Child Health and Research and involved 1800 teenagers.

The teenagers studied were classified based on their diet into different groups. One group included those who ate a balanced diet mixing whole grains, fruit, vegetable and fish. The other group included the adolescents who preferred the western-inspired diet of highly processed, fried, fatty and take-away fast foods.

The study discovered that the adolescents on a diet plan similar to that of western-style were taking in more food additives, colors and flavors. These could result in hyperactivity or chemical changes in the body affecting the brain’s process of attention and concentration management.

Wentdy Oddy, an associate professor and the institute’s head of nutrition studies, says that the method chosen for the research did not confirm if unhealthy diet leads to ADHD or if ADHD leads to unhealthy diet choices.

The study shows that adolescents living on a diet of highly professed foods are at two times higher risk of developing ADHD than those who opt for healthy diets. The parents were questioned about their child’s heath history. Approximately 115 adolescents were diagnosed with ADH among the 1800 that were tested.

The team carrying out the research also looked at the teenager’s family’s financial status along with other factors like mothers who smoked and the quantity of food they eat and the physical activities they take part in.

The diagnosis of ADHD is linked to overeating of takeaway foods, highly-processed meats, and dairy products with high content of fat, red mea and confectionaries. The study says that a western-style diet plan may further indicate that the teenager has less fatty acid profile. This diet is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is beneficial for optimal brain function and mental health. The lack of micronutrients in the western-style diet leads to suboptimal brain function especially in teenagers. The study states that ADHD patients were predisposed to opt for unhealthy foods for snacks.

Source:

Journal of Attention Disorders