Eating And Children

"You are what you eat", is a common old adage heard in western culture, which

promotes healthy living and eating. It is certainly not uncommon to hear the latter with

the latest health and fitness fervor held my many westerners. There is evidence to suggest that

primitive humans believed that physical strength and abilitiy could be attained by consuming

certain animals. For example, the early Cherokee Indian tribes believed that by eating

venison one could inherit the swiftness of the animal.

With the passage of time and modern reasoning and research, the question can be

begged "Does diet have an effect on behavior?" Many studies suggest that diet does have an

adverse effect on children's behavior and learning. In that, it is extremely important to fuel

adolescents with healthy diets to promote critical thinking skills for future learning. However,

there are studies that negate the latter, and in doing this research, I will compare several case

studies.

Case studies are important in that they present or negate scientific findings triggered by

theory and hypothesis. Dr. Benjamin Fiengold, an allery specialist, was not only

important because of the latter but also due to the fact that he was one of the leading

proponents of the idea that food additives can cause hyperactivity. Fiengold reported that dyes, preservatives, and salicyclates could cause hyperactivity in children. Realizing that food additives include food coloring, flavor enhancerrs and preservatives, Dr. Fiengold's research was warranted. He proposed the KP diet which eliminated all artificial colorings,flavorings, and sweeteners. This diet was initially developed for people who suffered from asth...

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...in the brain, affecting processing of neurotransmitters like

seratonin.

Based on most of the research available diet can influence cognitive development and behavior in a

number of ways. These include the problems associated with a poor balanced diet, and

insufficient intake of nutrients and calories.

A. Diet possibly has an affect learning and behavior;

B. Digestive disorders are common among children with developmental disorders and can influence learning and behavior;

C. Sensitivity to some dietary substance can adversely affect attention, impulsivity, behavior, and/or cognitive performance. Most likely food substances that are offenders among children with developmental disorders include: 1) Sugar, 2) Food additives, 3) Proteins;

D. Modifying diet to eliminate offending foods can improve performance in some children with developmental disorders.