Soda contribuisce a problemi di comportamento tra i bambini

Sugar-sweetened beverages are one of the major culprits in the obesity epidemic, but sodas have also been connected to behavioral problems among teens. That link apparently extends to young kids as well.

Among children 5 anni, according to the latest research, those drinking more sugar-sweetened sodas showed increased aggression, withdrawal and difficulty paying attention than those drinking fewer or none of the beverages.

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It’s the first time that the effects of sugared beverages have been traced to behavior issues among children so young. But the findings mirror similar trends among adolescents; un 2011 studio published in the journal Injury Prevention found that teens who drank more than five cans of soft drinks every week were significantly more likely to have carried a weapon and acted violently toward peers, family members and dates. Un altro studio from the same authors reported that high consumption of soft drinks was associated with a range of aggressive or mood-related behaviors, from fighting, feeling sad or hopeless to even being suicidal.

In the latest study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, parents reported that 43% of the 5-year olds participating in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study drank at least one serving of soda every day, e 4% consumed four or more servings daily.

In order to evaluate the relationship between the sugared drinks and behavior problems, the researchers adjusted for several factors that can influence behavior, including their mothers’ depression and the children’s diets. Even after this adjustment, the scientists found a significant relationship between more soda consumption and aggressive behaviors that included destroying other people’s belongings, getting into fights and physically attacking others.

What makes soda-drinking kids so unruly? “Soft drinks are highly processed products containing carbonated water, high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, sodium benzoate, phosphoric or citric acid, and often caffeine, any of which might affect behavior,” the authors write.

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Caffeine is a likely culprit, since other studi collegato il composto con cambiamenti nei livelli ormonali che potrebbero alterare il modo in cui il cervello ancora in via di sviluppo percepiscono e valutano il rischio. Poiché la caffeina può agire su tanti sistemi cerebrali, ma c'è ancora poche informazioni sulla sua influenza sui bambini, la FDA sta attualmente indagando la sicurezza di caffeina che viene aggiunto ai prodotti alimentari consumati da bambini e adolescenti, come bevande, chip e persino la gomma.

Lo zucchero nelle bibite può anche influenzare il comportamento, se tale connessione è più oscura. Un recente studio ha riportato che anche a dosi considerate nella media per il consumo umano - circa quattro lattine di soda in un giorno - zucchero ha effetti tossici nei topi, compromettere la loro capacità di stabilire territori e riprodursi. "Ci sono troppe variabili sconosciute per dire se lo zucchero provoca un'aggressione,"Dice Judy Caplan, un nutrizionista dietista registrato per l'Accademia di Nutrizione e Dietetica. "Penso che sono necessari più studi come questo per capire veramente quale ruolo cibo (zucchero) gioca in aggressività nei bambini. Dovremo vedere cosa il futuro conferma. "

Mentre l'industria delle bevande ha preso provvedimenti per limitare l'accesso dei bambini alle bibite zuccherate - fornendo opzioni più sane, come l'acqua, succhi di frutta e latte scremato nelle scuole invece-le luci di studio come prevalente il consumo di soda è negli Stati Uniti. - Anche tra i giovanissimi. Secondo un portavoce americano Beverage Association, member companies do not promote or market the consumption of soft drinks to children in the age group examined in the study, but so far the high consumption among kids doesn’t seem to help them establish and maintain healthy relationships with friends and family.