Sugar high? It’s all in the mind

QUESTION Is there any evidence to prove that sugar makes children hyperactive?

The presumed hyperactive reaction to refined sugar, especially sucrose, has been attributed to a rise in blood sugar shortly after ingestion, or reactive hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) several hours later.

The notion that food can have an effect on behaviour became popular in 1973. The allergist Benjamin Feingold proposed a diet free from food colourings and artificial flavouring to treat hyperactivity in children. Though he didn’t suggest avoiding sugar, it became linked in the public consciousness as the cause.

A 1978 study reported that hyperactive children were significantly more likely to test positive for low blood sugar. This created a ‘scientific’ link between hyperactivity and sugar.

however, further studies using placebos, carefully measured sugar doses and procedures whereby no one knew which children were given real sugar until after all the data was collected, found no connection between the two.

An analysis of all these studies was published in November 1995. The researchers concluded that sugar had no immediate effect on children’s behaviour, though long-term ingestion of refined sugar is a cause of childhood obesity and tooth decay.

Dr Ian Smith, Cambridge.

QUESTION What were the names of the 28 dog tracks in London? I can only think of 14.

FurTher to the earlier answer, dog track owners once held great sway. During the 1966 World Cup, a match between uruguay and France was set to be played at Wembley, but when the stadium’s owner refused to reschedule a dog race, the match was moved to White City.