Truth About Sugar: It Does Not Make Children Hyperactive Contrary to Parents' Assumptions, Science Reveals

Sugars making children more hyper is a myth, science reveals.

Is it the sugar in the cake that puts your kids' energy levels into overdrive? Researchers would answer with a big NO.

NBC News senior medical correspondent Dr. John Torres stated in a segment on Today that multiple research found that children who had eaten a placebo or natural sugar, which they could not distinguish when eaten, did not behave any differently when compared to kids who had no sugar intake.

According to Torres, researchers saw that sugar does not make children more hyper.

When Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb asked Torres why her daughters "go crazy" when they eat a piece of cake, echoing all the parents' voices that seem to contradict the findings, the doctor gave two reasons to explain why.

"No. 1, you think (your kids) are going to get more excitable if they eat sugar, so anything they do after eating sugar, you're going to blame on the sugar. No. 2, (kids) usually get sugar at celebrations and parties, when they're hanging out with their friends or running amuck," Torres stated.

Science can explain that the "combination of confirmation bias with conflating causation and correlation" results in a convincing, logical explanation.

Various studies from different years lead to the same conclusion

The current findings align with past studies about the correlation between children's energy and sugar intake.

A 1995 study entitled "The Effect of Sugar on Behavior or Cognition in Children" analyzed the findings of 23 experiments on the aftereffects of sugar in a placebo model on children's behavior, and it concluded that sugar does not have any effect on the performance of kids, whether behavioral or cognitive.

In another study made in 1994, "Effects of Diets High in Sucrose or Aspartame on The Behavior and Cognitive Performance of Children," almost 50 sugar-sensitive kids between three to ten years old were asked to eat more sugar than their typical dietary levels. The study revealed that sugar, whether taken by children at their typical dietary level or more, does not affect their behavior or intellectual function.

The same conclusion is revealed even from studies across the globe. In a 2018 study published in Taylor & Francis Online and participated by 287 Australian children between eight to 12 years old, the author concluded that despite the high amount of sugar consumption compared to the recommended daily amount, it does not result in children's behavioral or sleep problems.

Read also: Cutting Sugar Intake Improves Obese Kids' Health in Ten Days

Right amount of sugar for kids

Despite knowing that sugars do not make kids hyperactive, experts still encourage parents not to overdo the sugar and sweets offered to kids. Just like everything else, too much of something will always be bad.

Thus, sugar should still be limited as it can result in tooth decay and because foods high in sugar can also be high in calories and can lack nutritional value.

Kids between two to 18 years old should only eat less than six tablespoons of added sugar a day and drink less than eight ounces of sugary drinks in a week, according to the American Heart Association. Further, they encourage parents not to offer or make kids under two years old take added sugar.

Added sugars are the sugar products added to the food during preparation or processing.

In terms of free sugars, on the other hand, kids between seven to ten should not be allowed to have more than 24 grams or six cubes of free sugars a day. Children aged four to six should not have more than 19 grams or five cubes of free sugar daily. This is according to the National Health Service.

Free sugars are those found in sweets, cakes, chocolates, and fizzy and juice drinks, the food and drinks not only kids but also adults should cut down on.

Related Article: Sleep Deprivation in Teens Raises Their Sugar Consumption, Study Reveals