It's a myth that sugar consumption leads to hyperactivity

Emily Bazelon claims her kids get a "sugar high":

When Eli and Simon are high on sugar, they bump into walls and fall off jungle gyms and hit each other. When they crash, they whine and fuss and I can't stand them.

For me that kind of talk helps to undermine her argument favoring government regulation of food. It's a myth that sugar consumption leads to hyperactivity.

Parents swear that they witness a "sugar rush" after their children eat candy, and they routinely avoid sugar challenges. But there is simply no proof that a "sugar rush" exists.15,16 Most pediatricians would, however, recommend a well-rounded diet that includes proteins, fats, and appropriate amounts of carbohydrates.

15 & 16 are footnotes:

15. Wolraich ML: Diet and behavior: What the research shows. Contemporary Pediatrics 1996;13(12):29

16. Wolraich ML, Wilson DB, White JW: The effect of sugar on behavior or cognition in children: A meta-analysis. JAMA 1995;274:1617