They Are What They Eat 1. They Are What They Eat. Brandelyn Kemp-Godfrey

Transcription

1 They Are What They Eat 1 They Are What They Eat Brandelyn Kemp-Godfrey

2 They Are What They Eat 2 They Are What They Eat Food is always the topic of discussion these days and diets such as candida, gluten free, and paleo tend to focus on how food affects not only our physical appearance and health but behavior as well. Scientist have become fascinated with the effects food has on adults and also children. With a growing trend in childhood misbehavior, researchers are looking for explanations and have found that food is a key culprit. It seems there really is truth to the old saying sugar makes kids hyper. Studies show that certain foods and additives affect one s brain resulting in difficult behavior. By reviewing literature and studies on children and food, one can evaluate these three topics: 1. Foods and additives effect on the brain. 2. The role of food in children s behavior. 3. The benefits of a healthy diet. Which foods and additives effect the brain? Today the food industry is not what it used to be. Companies are processing food at a greater rate and including harmful additives to increase taste and longevity. The goal is to make money by all means necessary which means cheap products and unhealthy foods. Business are using the worst ingredients such as processed foods for they are cheap to produce, have a long shelf life, and are easy to store and distribute (Sullivan, 2012). Although unhealthy, many families are feeding their children what is the cheapest and will make their youngster happiest. Parents are failing to realize that these additives and processed foods are harming their children and affecting their behavior. Products such as gluten, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and redefined sugar affect the brain resulting in altered behavior (Sullivan, 2012).

3 They Are What They Eat 3 Gluten is a common name for proteins found in wheat, barley, kamut, rye, bulgur, and spelt. Currently there are 3 million people living with gluten sensitivity, a disease similar to celiac disease in which someone has difficulty digesting food (Gluten, 1988). If one is gluten sensitive, the body produces elevated levels of antibodies against gliadin, one of the main proteins in gluten. These anti-gliadin antibodies turn on particular immune cells in your body creating cytokines. Cytokines negatively affect brain function. Gluten can cause headaches, joint and muscle pain, and behavioral problems such as seizures and depression (Gluten, 1988). Children with gluten sensitivity can find themselves sluggish or prone to seizures. Like gluten, high fructose corn syrup is no stranger to many households. High fructose corn syrup is man-made sugar that originated in Japan in It is much cheaper than table sugar so it instantly became a hit with food manufactures. Most adolescents are taking in 73 grams a day of fructose which means that 12% of their daily caloric intake is devoted to manmade sugar (Sullivan 2012). The human body cannot process high fructose corn syrup like natural sugar resulting in the rise of insulin levels. High fructose corn syrup can cause diabetes, elevated blood pressure, gout, liver disease, and much more. High fructose corn syrup, along with other corn syrups, cause hyperactivity among children. According to a study conducted at the University of South Carolina, the higher amount fructose corn syrup a child consumed the more destructive and restless they became (Stevens, 2013). Alongside gluten and high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners have a negative effect on the body as well. Artificial sweetener is processed sugar meaning it is man-made. The most common type is aspartame which is made up of 50% phenylalanine, 40% aspartic acid, and 10% methanol. Phenylalanine, the highest content of aspartame, lowers the levels of serotonin, which affects sleep, mood, appetite, and behavior. It can also negatively affect the metabolism,

4 They Are What They Eat 4 hormone balance, and nerve functions (Sullivan, 2012). Aspartame can also create an imbalance in brain chemicals resulting in headaches, insomnia, and seizures. Aspartame can lead to mental and emotional strife that can affect learning ability (Sullivan, 2012). Lastly, redefined sugar also known as sucrose, has harmful effects that many are aware of. Unlike all natural sugar found in fruits and vegetables, sucrose lacks vitamins, minerals, and fiber, forcing they body to work harder to digest it. In order to digest the sugar the body must use stored enzymes and minerals. This results in a deficiency meaning the body is not receiving the nutrients it needs. Sucrose causes the body s blood sugar levels to fluctuate. When levels are high it can cause hyperactivity and when low causes fatigue, exhaustion, and depression (Sullivan, 2012). The Role of Food in Children s Behavior. In the early 1970s, California allergist Benjamin Feingold stated that the behavior of many of his young patients improved when he placed them on special diets to treat their food allergies. Feingold blamed food additives such as food dyes and salicylates, which are chemicals that occur naturally in most fruits. Since then, 23 decent studies have focused on whether food dyes or ordinary foods worsened behavior in children with ADHD or other behavioral problems (Diet & Behavior, 2000). Researchers Kristen S. Slack and Joan Yoo of the University of Wisconsin Madison studied two families with children ages 3-5 and 6-12 who receive welfare benefits. Slack and Yoo studied the relationship between poor quality foods and child behavior using the two families. It was hypothesized two mechanisms for the link between food hardship and child behavior problems. First, food hardship and hunger may produce physiological responses in children such as anxiety, irritability and lethargy. Second, food hardship may create or co occur

5 They Are What They Eat 5 with particular parental characteristics such as depression and stress that affect parent child interactions. Slack and Yoo believed Children in the younger age group (ages 3 5) may be more vulnerable to food hardship than the older children (ages 6 12) because they are exposed to fewer alternative food resources (Slack & Yoo, 2005). It is no secret that welfare supplies basic needs and quality foods do not come at cheap price therefore most on welfare cannot provide it. After conducting research, results showed that children receiving welfare benefits are associated with behavior problems. Results suggest that practitioners who work with children should screen for food hardship as a potential source of behavior problems (Slack & Yoo, 2005). The Benefits of a Healthy Diet There are many benefits of being healthy for both children and adults. Living a healthy lifestyle provides the body with certain nutrients that are needed to make sure the body and its organs functions properly. According to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, proper nutrition promotes the optimal growth and development of children. Healthy eating helps prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure and helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Healthy eating helps reduce one s risk for developing obesity, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, and dental caries. Healthy eating is associated with reduced risk for many diseases, including several of the leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for proper growth and development and can prevent health problems such as obesity, dental caries, iron deficiency, and osteoporosis (Nutrition, 2014).

6 They Are What They Eat 6 Kids with neuro-developmental disorders like ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, and other behavioral issues can benefit from a healthy diet. Eliminating gluten, dairy, and food dyes can prevent hyper activity and ADHD symptoms (Diet and Behavior, 2010). Researchers have studied the relationship between food and child behavior discovering that food does effect the child s behavior. By looking at foods and additives effect on the brain, the role of food in children s behavior, and the benefits of a healthy diet, one can see the position food plays in a child s behavior. Products such as gluten, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and redefined sugar affect the brain resulting in altered behavior (Sullivan, 2012). Studies, such as the one conducted by Slack and Yoo, discovered that poor quality foods and hunger can result in a child having anxiety and lethargy. Thankfully research has discovered that a healthy diet can counteract what an unhealthy one can and provide children with optimal growth and development.

7 They Are What They Eat 7 References Diet & Behavior in Children. (2000, March 1). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from Diet and Behavior: 3 Changes to Make Today - Brain Balance Achievement Centers. (2010). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from Gluten Sensitivity - Celiac Disease Foundation. (1998). Retrieved February 7, 2015, from and the Health of Young People. (2014, October 6). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from Slack, K. S., & Yoo, J. (September 2005). Food Hardship and Child Behavior Problems among Low Income Children. Social Service Review, 79(3), pp Stevens, L. (2013, November). The Sugar Wars: Using Diet to Treat ADHD Symptoms in Children. Additude Strategies and Support for ADHD and LD. Retrieved from Sullivan, T. (2013, January 1). Nourish Your Noggin: What Foods to Avoid and Why. Retrieved February 7, 2015, from