Diet in the treatment of ADHD

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, is estimated to be the most common behavioural disorder in children. The condition has only a few options for evidence-based treatment, and public accessible numbers have shown more than a threefold increase in the use of medication for ADHD in Norway since 2004. Studies have shown an association between ADHD and western dietary pattern, and it seems to be an increasing interest in whether diet influences the symptoms or not. The aim of this review was to determine whether there is any conclusive data on diet as the treatment for ADHD. 21 articles were selected through a defined search strategy in PubMed, U.S National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, and reviewed. The result does not give a defined answer but points out several interesting findings for further investigation: There is compelling evidence for Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as a treatment for ADHD, but the effects of other nutritional supplements are not negligible and suggest not only single nutrients but whole diets as treatment options for ADHD.