They Are What You Feed Them: How Food Can Improve Your Child’s Behaviour, Mood and Learning

It’s your life, and your child’s life, that we are focusing on in this book.

You may already have adopted some dietary strategies with your child. If so, I hope you’ve already seen some benefits. You’ll also need some luck, though, because much of what you’ll have read or been told about the effects of food and diet on your child’s behaviour and performance is not actually supported by any reliable evidence—usually because the studies needed to provide this just haven’t been done. This is a real problem that I’ll do my best to help you with in this book. Mind you, the same is also true of a remarkable number of ‘interventions’ (treatments or management methods) that are part of ‘standard practice’ in medicine—not to mention the education, social services and criminal justice systems.

Some research into how food and diet may be affecting our behaviour is almost impossible to do—either because the ‘uncontrolled experiments’ have been going on for so long that there is no control group left, or because ethical issues make some types of studies difficult or impossible. For example, in the Western world we have all been consuming ‘trans fats’ for many decades now. (You can read more about these in Chapter 8.) These artificially twisted fats are found in hydrogenated vegetable oils (used in many cheap margarines, fried foods and commercially baked goods of all kinds), and are now known to damage our physical health. Given that the brain is 60 per cent fat, might these artificial fats alter its structure or function, too? Very probably…but it would be extremely hard now to find a well-matched control group who have not been ingesting trans fats for most or all of their lives. What’s more, extracting brain tissue from living subjects to study how its fat composition may relate to psychological well-being or performance is just not an option!

Similarly, a huge number of different food additives have been permitted following individual ‘safety testing’ for potential toxic effects. Do these tests look at how these food additives might act in combination? Well, no, actually—that would be far too complicated. With the number of additives now in use, it’s just not feasible. In fact, it is only very recently that some careful studies have looked into how the growth of nerve cells may be affected by just two common food additives in combination. Even though more work is still needed, the first results (discussed in Chapter 6) will give every parent cause for concern.

Show Caution and Take Practical Steps

Although the scientific studies needed to answer some important questions simply can’t be done, in my view we would often do well to follow the ‘precautionary principle’, especially when it comes to ingredients that are used purely for cosmetic appeal and the convenience and profits of the manufacturers (as is the case with many artificial flavourings and colourings, or hydrogenated fats).

My aim is to give you a new way of thinking about your child’s health and performance as a whole, and provide you with a better understanding of the issues surrounding food and diet, and how these can affect your child’s well-being.

I’ll be giving you some facts that may well be new to you, but I will also do my best to provide a framework that allows you to integrate any new information with what you already know. I’ll encourage you to start thinking about the information you get from other sources, so that you don’t find yourself confused by the apparently conflicting advice you hear or read about elsewhere. Overall, I urge you to gather what reliable and relevant information you can, weigh up the likely risks and costs against the potential benefits, and then make your own informed choices.

‘When I told my doctor I thought my son (then 7) was intolerant to cows’ milk, he sneered at me and prescribed some drugs. Because it was a short appointment, I held my tongue, but binned the prescription, switched my son to goats’ milk and cheese, and his symptoms improved dramatically. You know, apart from the doctor’s arrogant belief that his way was the only way, I think the fact I was dressed as a “mum at home” had a lot to do with his not listening to me properly! I find if I’m dressed smartly, I get listened to much more than if I’m wearing jeans and trainers.’— Sarah

Ask Questions All the Time

Of course, anything you read here will inevitably be coloured by my views, ideas, beliefs and prejudices, along with the knowledge and experience I’ve gained over the years that I want to share with you. At the end of the day, you are the only one who can decide what—among all the information you gather—can actually be trusted. If you’re not sure, keep asking questions:

Is this information really independent, or just another piece of advertising?

What sources are the most reliable if I want a second opinion?

Is there any alternative explanation that would make sense?

Are there any approaches—however unusual—that mainstream practice has overlooked, but which could actually be important?

Are there any risks involved in trying these?

Are there good reasons to believe this approach could work for my child?

What are the chances (actual probabilities) that these approaches might help?

Throughout this book, I will try to help you through the minefields by doing my best distinguish between:

1 evidence that can reasonably be trusted to be ‘objective’ and reliable (based on independent research carried out according to established scientific principles and practice)

2 evidence that comes from research carried out or directly funded by those with a vested commercial interest in its outcome

3 theories and observations that make sense, but which have not yet been backed by much firm evidence, including some of my own personal opinions and beliefs.

Past, Present and Future

‘What have I been doing wrong?’ is a question I’ve heard from countless parents—parents who care deeply about their child, and who have tried every which way to solve their child’s problems, and still not succeeded. Things have not been turning out as they hoped—and, like most parents, they are prepared to take more than their fair share of the responsibility. They have ‘tried everything’, following all the best advice they could get—and still things don’t seem to be working out.

You, like some of them, may have had no idea of the effects of a poor diet (nor indeed what really constitutes a poor diet) before now. Or you may have read up a great deal on the subject already, and cried ‘If only I’d known this before…’ Whatever the case may be, you need to focus on where you are now. What’s past is past: you need to let go of any feelings of guilt or anger towards yourself or ‘the establishment’, and use today as the starting point.

The most important things for you to focus on are the ones that you can most easily influence, govern and control. Those things really should include what you put into your own and your child’s mouth.

Although many other factors are also important, good nutrition is simply crucial to your child’s health, well-being and functioning. Your child’s eating habits are affecting his or her behaviour, learning and mood now, and they will continue to do so in the future. Please remember it took a long time to get to where you are, so don’t expect things to improve instantly. In some cases (for example, after excluding additives to which your child reacts badly) improvements can happen almost ‘overnight’. In most cases, however, the benefits from improving your child’s diet are far more likely to happen gradually. It may take weeks, months—or even years in very severe cases—but with a diet that actually suits your child, happen it will.

What You Can Do to Improve Things

The advice I give to parents follows broadly the same three stages. These are the steps I’ll take you through in detail in this book. They are not difficult, and one or more of them will almost certainly apply to your child. I always emphasize that I am not officially qualified to give individuals advice on nutrition per se—and when parents need that kind of guidance, as many of them do, I always refer them to either a dietician or another suitably qualified practitioner who can advise on their child’s individual dietary needs.

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1. Your child may be consuming foods or other substances to which he reacts badly. To my mind, avoiding unnecessary additives that are suspected of causing behaviour problems is a ‘no-brainer’. You may be surprised at how many of these additives there are, but we’ll look at this issue in Chapter 6. When it comes to avoiding specific foods, then unless it’s patently obvious what’s causing the problem (and it’s not a ‘major food’) I’d advise you to seek expert advice. Improving your child’s diet and digestion should come first, as you’ll learn in Chapter 5.

‘My friend had mysterious pains since his childhood that no doctor could help. He eventually found a practitioner who advised him to focus on improving his bad digestion, and told him how to go about this. Once he changed his diet, the pains (and the grumpiness!) went away.’—June

2. Your child may be ‘hooked’ on sweet, sugary and starchy foods. A diet containing too many refined starches and sugars is guaranteed to wreak havoc with the fuel supply to your child’s brain—swinging him or her on a rollercoaster of energy ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ throughout the day. The same ‘fast-action’ foods and drinks are also damaging your child’s digestive and immune systems, which can lead to a whole array of health-related problems that may be closely linked to difficulties in mood, behaviour and learning. In Chapter 7, we’ll see what foods you and your child can eat (and which ones to avoid) to ensure balanced, calm energy throughout the day.

3. Your child probably eats too many ‘bad fats’ and not enough ‘good fats’. This is a very easy one for me to identify, not only because it’s even more common than the sugar and ‘energy imbalance’ problems, but also because my own specialist research to date has been focused mainly in this area. ‘Bad fats’ are found in many processed foods and margarines. The ‘good fats’ include the very special omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) which are found in fish and seafood, and are absolutely essential to brain development and function. In Chapter 8 you’ll learn how to ‘get the fats right’, and in Chapter 9 I’ll take you through the latest research into omega-3 for child behaviour and learning, sorting the facts from the myths and explaining what the research has—and hasn’t—shown.

Facing the facts isn’t always easy—but as we’ve seen in this chapter, you can’t rely on the ‘powers that be’ to look after your child’s interests where issues of food and diet are concerned. However, there are some simple steps that you can take to help your child—the first of which is getting informed. In the next chapter we’ll look at some of the labels that are often given to children with behaviour or learning problems, and see how diet may relate to these. Then we’ll look at essential nutrients and digestion (these really are the basics you need to understand) before moving on to the chapters that will take you through the three main steps I’ve outlined above. In the last few chapters of the book we’ll focus on putting what you’ve learned into practice.

FAQs

Why is there so much conflicting advice, and how do I know which advice to follow?

Much of the information and advice you get about food and diet is really aimed at selling you something. Many news and media stories are actually based on company press releases, so always be suspicious. Look carefully at the results and conclusions of proper trials (many can be found on the Internet with user-friendly summaries—see the FAB Research website for examples). In some areas, reliable evidence really is lacking. The best thing you can do is to keep an open mind—but not so open that your brains fall out, as they say! Read, observe, talk to people, ask questions, weigh up all the evidence and make your own mind up which advice you’re going to follow.

I thought doctors say a good diet is important so we don’t get fat? My child seems slim and fit even though he eats mostly chicken nuggets and chips, and he won’t touch fruit and vegetables.

A poor diet doesn’t always make you fat, and your child may look ‘slim and fit’, but have you seen his insides? It can sometimes take years for the effects of bad eating habits to show, but a diet of highly processed foods and insufficient fruit and vegetables really can damage physical and mental well-being. Some children are more resilient than others—and yours may be one of the lucky ones (so far)—but the time to start making some changes is now.

Surely if what the big companies say is wrong, the Government would ban them from saying it?

I wish! Sadly, economics and politics play a huge role here—for example, look at how long it took for the tobacco industry to be exposed for what they were really doing. The Government can’t regulate everything, and their perspective is usually very short term. They are also keen to avoid offending the big players in industry—for many reasons, some good (to try to protect jobs that might be lost, for example) and some not so good.

Why aren’t doctors and many other health professionals trained more in nutrition?

In my view, they need to be—and the more enlightened ones carry on studying such subjects after their initial training. In defence of the others, they are often so busy dealing with acute problems that preventative approaches may take second place, and they have little or no time to study. In my opinion, some training in the effects of nutrition on behaviour really would reduce the workload of most professionals in our health, education, social services and criminal justice systems, with benefits all round.

Who am I to question the experts?

Well, for a start, you’ll find that the experts usually disagree! As to ‘who you are’, please try to have a little more faith in your own good sense. If you’re a parent, you’ll probably know more about your child than anyone, and if you’re reading this book then you’ve got what it takes to find out more. Then make your mind up as to the best course of action. It’s usually one based on common sense and grounding in all the facts. I’d say always question the experts. (If they can’t handle that—they’re no experts!)

Summary

1. The fast food and ‘convenience’ foods that dominate many children’s diets are often of very poor nutritional quality. If you knew what really goes into some of these, it’s very unlikely that you’d keep buying them.

2. The big food and drink companies and the pharmaceutical industry have been making huge profits out of our ignorance, although there are signs that you—the consumers—are starting to wise up and ‘dump the junk.’

3. It’s now accepted that poor nutrition will affect your child’s physical health. Recognition of the impact on mental health and performance is taking longer, and most professionals in health, education and other public services still receive little or no training in this area.