“Eat your fruits and veggies” may be sound advice for kids with ADHD

In 10 seconds? While overall quality of diet does not affect lack of attention, children with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that consume more fruits and vegetables have less severe inattention symptoms, according to a recent study.

Why is understanding the effects of diet on ADHD symptoms important? According to the CDC, 6.1 million US children were diagnosed with the condition in 2016. ADHD generally continues into adulthood (4 out of 5 people will continue to experience it). It is highly heritable – ADHD is nine times more likely to appear in individuals if someone in their close family is affected. On top of this, the medication costs alone for people with ADHD are, on average, at least twice that of people with similar health conditions but without ADHD. This number does not take into account the reduced earning potential of those who are not diagnosed and, subsequently, are unable to meet their potential due to the associated hurdles. While stimulant medications are available, they can be costly and not without some health risks. Therefore, being able to reduce ADHD severity via diet is valuable information.