Sugar Experiment Is Something to Chew On

Recently, View ran an article stating that sugar is no longer considered by the medical community to be responsible for hyperactive behavior in children (“Sweet Nothings?” Feb. 9). I must beg to differ.

For 11 years, I did the sound for “Romper Room” here in L.A. We taped from five to 10 shows a day. During the breaks between shows, a gaggle of kindergartners would line up at the candy machine and gorge their little bodies with the basest of junk foods. By late afternoon these kids would be bouncing around the stage, had shorter-than-normal attention spans, and were often out of control.

So one day the producers tried an experiment. On taping day, we put “out of order” signs on the candy machines. The difference was unimaginable. The kids stayed quiet and well behaved and the decibel level was reduced significantly.

Now let’s suppose it wasn’t the chemical reaction to sugar that made these kids crazy, but the sheer joy from having ingested the sugar. And let’s suppose that being denied that sugar made these same kids sad and listless. Whatever the reason kids go off the wall after eating sugar, be it chemical or psychological, it is clear to me after 11 years of experimentation that everyone, old and young, is better off without processed sugar.

WENDY VEGA

Sherman Oaks