FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The link between diet and brain function is an important one and for those with ADHD, healthy eating may have an even more vital role to play

- AMYJONES

Diet plays a huge part in our health, growth and wellbeing and it’s been suggested that what we eat can be associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms.

The Body Coach Joe Wicks spoke on the subject on the BBC Radio 5 Live Headliners podcast and said, “There’s no doubt the food I was eating was directly linked to my behaviour.”

Joe explained he was never diagnosed with ADHD but believes it is “common” for children to be diagnosed today and said, “It can stem back to the diet and the foods that we’re eating.”

Taking to his Instagram following the podcast, Joe went on to clarify, “It’s a neurodivergent disorder, which affects the brain. Lots of factors involved. I do believe food has a massive impact. Whether you have ADHD or not, I think it really impacts our mood and our ability to sit still and focus, and even our energy and our mental health, it has a massive impact.”

Sonia Khan, the lead pharmacist at Feel Gut, which specialises in gut microbiome testing, goes on to explain more about a possible link between ADHD and diet, saying, “Around 2.2 million people have been diagnosed with ADHD in the UK. Research shows that imbalances of certain bacteria can increase your risk of developing ADHD and it is significantly driven by diet.”

Speaking about the dietary differences between those with and without ADHD, Sonia explains, “This all stems from diet and how it impacts our gut bacteria. People with ADHD have significantly higher levels of Bacteroides uniformis, Bacteroides ovatus and Sutterella stercoricannis and lower levels of Bacteroides coprocola when compared to individuals without the condition.