Have you ever looked at your child, and asked why they are not behaving the way they should behave? Some children can be very active or hyper, hard to focus in class, or moody all the time.

As a parent, of course you have tried your best to nurture good value into your children, but it does not seem to work. The efforts you took seemed useless. And you wonder why. 

Did it ever cross your mind that their diet could be the main culprit for their ill behaviour? Ever heard about “you are what you eat”? This saying can be true for children too. 

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Food can affect children’s behaviour is simply not a myth. It is a true story. 

Many studies have found the negative effects of food with high artificial colour and common additives in children’s behaviour. 

Food Can Affect How Children Behave

Let’s take an example of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) children. ADD is a neurological problem that usually occurs in children that will affect their behaviour such as difficulty to follow instruction, hard to focus in class, problems with social skills, and others.

According to studies, food can play an important role in the behaviour of children with ADD. For example, sugary foods may make them even harder to focus and increase hyperactivity. 

However, diet does not only affecting the children with ADD alone. It can affect all of us, including our “normal-looking” children.

In an academic review published by the American Journal of Public Health in 2014, the scientists were observing the relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents.

The review found a significant relationship between unhealthy dietary intake with lower mental health in children and adolescents.

It is not a “myth”!

• Calories & sugar

High calories, high sugar content and additives can be harmful to our children’s health. For example, high sugar and high calories foods such as fast food and chocolate can affect the cell’s function and immune system.

• Additives

Other than that, the additive can be an issue too. In our daily diet, additives may be added to enhance the taste and the shelf life of the food. Additives can include colourings, sweeteners, preservatives and acidifiers.

However, these additives may contribute to hyperactivity in children. For example, additives such as tartrazine (E120), quinoline yellow (E104), sunset yellow (E110) and carmoisine (E122) are commonly seen in our children’s favourite food such as bread, chips, cookies and chocolate. 

• Candy & sweets

Food such as candy and sweets can be damaging to our cells, including the brain cells.

High sugar intake can affect the mood and behaviour. Thus, this will affect the ability of the brain to function well and impair the learning and social skills in children.

As this is supported by academic studies, poor choice of food may lead to nutrient deficiency that indirectly will affect brain health. 

What can we do to overcome this?

The right choice of food is the key. Always choose real and high-quality food for your children. It is not only logical, but science supports that high-quality food can be helpful in children’s behaviour. 

Studies proved that children who eat less processed and less additive food are healthier and more well-behaved.

High-quality food should be rich in good nutrients such as Omega 3, zinc and other vitamins and minerals.

Nutrient-rich food is not only good for the body but can be beneficial for the brain and mental development too.

Here are some nutrients that can be useful in children’s behaviour and development.

Good Nutrients to Support Children’s Behaviour & Development

1. Omega-3

Omega-3 can help in optimising brain function and improve focus. Other than that, Omega-3 is also found to be protective against anxiety disorders. Source of Omega-3 including salmon, mackerel and walnuts.

2. Protein

Protein is important in children’s growth and development. It also plays an important role in the secretion of hormones, neural signalling and helps with the processing of information in the brain. Examples of high protein food are egg, soybean and lean meat.

3. Iron and zinc

Deficiencies in both iron and zinc can affect the children’s mood and attention. Therefore, a diet rich in iron and zinc can help to reduce hyperactivity and improve social skill. Foods that are high in iron and zinc are green vegetables, beetroot, whole grains and etc.

Yes, we all know parenting is hard work, and we certainly do not want an “extra work” by having to handle the misbehaved children. Though some behavioural issues are from genetic problems, it is proven that through a healthy diet this issue can be reduced and children will be easier to handle. So, do not give up!

Reference:

1. O’Neil, et.al. (2014). Relationship between diet and mental health in children and adolescents: A systematic review. American Journal of Public Health. 104 (10). DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.302110