Does sugar make kids hyper?

Sugar does not appear to affect behaviour in children, said Dr Mark Wolraich, chief of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center, who researched sugar’s effect on children in the 1990s.

Instead, parent’s expectations of so-called ‘sugar highs’ appear to colour the way they view their children’s behaviour, Wolraich said. It’s easy to see why parents make the link — Sugar is often the main attraction at birthday parties and other occasions when children are likely to bounce off the walls. But all that energy is due to kids being excited, not from the sugar in their systems, he said.

The misconception comes from the idea that increased blood sugar levels translate into hyperactive behaviour. It’s true that someone with low blood-sugar levels (known as having hypoglycemia) can get an energy boost from drinking a sugar-filled drink.

But it’s a different story if someone has a sugary treat when he or she doesn’t have low blood sugar.The body normally regulates those sugars. If it needs it, it will use the energy. If it doesn’t need it, it will convert it to fat for storage.