Most teenagers in today’s society have difficulty eating healthy. Between, the high sugared drinks, various fast food establishments and the age old candies / sweets available today; a teen can go days without having a “normal” meal. But is it a surprise that not only a teen’s physical health but also their mental well being is affected by daily diet? Even more important, according to a recent study published this past year, a teen’s long-term diet has shown a relationship to being linked to ADHD traits.
With these findings not only does teen diet affect mental state overall, but now evidence supports the conclusion that diet can also increase a teen’s chance of having a diagnosis such as ADHD. The study goes on to point out that diets that are high in total fat and saturated fat have a more direct relationship to ADHD than other diets. Takeaway foods are one of the main causes being a high source of fat, normally containing a mixture of processed, fried, and refined foods. Conversely the study also leans towards a diet having more fish and whole grains being a benefit for mental health and overall brain function, mainly due to Omega 3 fatty acids.
These findings should not be alarming though. One author; Glenn Hefley; points out that “Our bodies and minds are bio-chemical machines running on the fuel given to them.” This statement is the essence of the study’s findings and is similar to other studies also. For example it has been shown on different occasions that long term alcohol use (not even abuse) can have an effect on a person’s mental capacity – both short and long term. Fatty foods have long been proven to be unhealthy from a physical standpoint so it only makes sense that these types of foods can have an adverse effect on our minds.
An ultimate conclusion as to which particular diets lead to ADHD versus those that help prevent those traits is not yet available. More research will need to be accomplished before reaching a final verdict. However, we can state that a healthier diet is never a bad thing to start; regardless of the reason. With this recent study highlighting potential links to teen diet and ADHD do we really need to wait?
