Diet-behaviour theories ‘wrong’

Press, 6 December 1985, Page 17

Diet-behaviour theories ‘wrong’

NZPA-AAP Sydney More research was needed on diet and behaviour, a scientific meeting in Sydney has been told. Four North American scientists told the meeting that studies suggested that many commonly held ideas about food and behaviour were wrong. Dr Allan Bock, of the United States, presented a paper which said that food sensitivity in children seemed to be confined to a small number of foods. He said research studies showed that chocolate and corn were rarely the cause of food allergies in children, although these two foods were often blamed. Dr Bock said the foods which most often caused

allergic reaction seemed to be legumes, nuts, fish, shellfish, dairy products, soy, and wheat.

Another study detailed by Dr Bruce Ferguson, of Canada, showed that sugar was as likely to improve children’s behaviour as to cause hyperactivity. He said studies conducted so far suggested that sucrose ingestion by children was not a common cause of behaviour or learning problems.

The meeting was sponsored by the Australian branch of the International Life Sciences Institute. The institute is an organisation established to enable Governments, industry, and scientists to share knowledge about health and food safety.