There has been a great deal of coverage in the press dealing with the controversy surrounding drug treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. This controversy has arisen due to concerns about the accuracy of diagnostic parameters used for this and other psychiatric diagnoses coupled with concerns about reported adverse side effects with drug treatment. There has therefore been a growing interest in dietary interventions for the treatment of this condition.
J. Gordon Millichap, MD and Michelle M. Yee, CPNP have published an article in the January 9, 2012 edition of the journal Pediatrics, "Healthy vs Western Diet Linked to Better Outcomes in ADHD." This article covers a comprehensive overview of the role of dietary methods for the treatment of children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when pharmacotherapy has proven unsatisfactory or is unacceptable. The recent increase of interest in dietary therapy for ADHD, and especially in the use of omega supplements, the significance of iron deficiency, and the avoidance of the “Western pattern” diet, have made this discussion timely.
A review of the literature on diets and ADHD, listed by PubMed, with emphasis on recent controlled studies, was done. Based on current opinion of published reports and the practice experience of the authors of this article recommendations for the use of diets have been made. Medication failure, parental or patient preference, iron deficiency, and, when appropriate, change from an ADHD-linked Western diet to an ADHD-free healthy diet are suggested as indications for dietary therapy.
Sugar-restricted, additive/preservative-free,oligoantigenic/elimination, and fatty acid supplements reduce symptoms which are associated with ADHD. Omega−3 supplement has become the latest dietary treatment with positive reports of efficacy. And interest in the additive-free diet for ADHD which was popular in the 1970s is occasionally revived. A provocative report has drawn attention to the ADHD-associated “Western-style” diet, which is high in fat and refined sugars, and the ADHD-free “healthy” diet, which contains fiber, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids.
The most promising and practical complementary or alternative treatment of ADHD appears to be greater attention to the education of parents and children in a healthy dietary pattern and omitting items shown to predispose to ADHD. Megan Brooks has reported in an article in Medscape Today, "Healthy vs Western Diet Linked to Better Outcomes in ADHD" that foods which have been shown to predispose to ADHD or to make the condition worse include fast foods, red meat, processed meat, potato chips, high-fat dairy foods, and soft drinks. A healthy dietary pattern includes fish, vegetables, tomatoes, fresh fruit, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.
