You know any argument about diet being NOT linked to the quality of human health has long been settled in the world of medicine, when scientists accept that a teen's high intake of fast food may be contributing to his/her escalating risks of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

That said, teachers and health professionals were stunned to witness changes in the behavior of ADHD kids, according to Dutch researcher Dr. Lidy Presser (as told to NPR's All Things Considered), over the course of five weeks that split 100 children (ages 4-8) into two groups based on diet. One group was assigned to a typical (control) diet while the other followed a highly restrictive, customized diet focusing on hypoallergenic foods that tended to tame ADHD.

Rather than throw drugs at the problem, Presser believes treating ADHD through diet should be the first option, and for good reason: She concluded ADHD is triggered in nearly two-thirds of kids by a hypersensitivity to food.

Medical experts urge parents to consult their pediatrician first, however, before thinking about making any kind of severe changes to their child's diet. But, if it can take as little as five weeks to determine if diet is the real problem behind a child's ADHD symptoms before starting a treatment regimen involving drugs and their own sets of problems… wouldn't you?

The Lancet, Vol. 377, No. 9764, p. 494-503, February 5, 2011

Los Angeles Times March 14, 2011

NPR.org March 12, 2011