I will strip search if I have to
Myths You Will Never Be Able to Get Parents to Stop Believing
1. Sugar causes hyperactivity in children.
Truth: There is no evidence of a direct link between sugar consumption and hyperactivity in children. Experiments have been done where one group of children was given sugary drinks and another were given sugar-free drinks, for instance, and no difference in their hyperactivity levels was noticed (the children were not told whether their drinks were sugary or sugar-free). Children are just naturally hyperactive, sugar or no sugar. The reason for this myth is mostly likely a combination of confirmation bias on the part of the parents and psychological conditioning on the part of the children - parents who believe this rumour are more likely to notice their children being hyperactive after having sugar, and children aware of this rumour may subconsciously (or even consciously) act more hyper after having sugar because of it, but there is no direct correlation between amount of sugar consumed and hyperactivity levels (this is why the children in the experiment were not told whether their drinks were sugary or sugar-free).
2. Sitting close to the TV is bad for your eyes.
Truth: It can cause eye strain, but that's about it. Again, scientists have not been able to find any link between sitting close to the TV and poor eyesight. As well, most scientists believe that sitting close to the TV is simply a habit of young children that they naturally grow out of as they get older, even if they're not told off for it. It's most likely something to do with children's eyes simply functioning slightly differently from adults', meaning they might actually need to sit closer to the TV to be able to see it more clearly.
Anyone know of any more?
3. Too much sugar causes diabetes.
Truth: Diabetes is a genetic, hereditary disease that has nothing to do with environmental factors. If you get type 2 adult onset diabetes, it's because it was programmed into your genes from birth, not because of how much sugar you consumed as a child. Of course, too much sugar is bad for you in other ways, but it won't give you diabetes.
1. Sugar causes hyperactivity in children.
Truth: There is no evidence of a direct link between sugar consumption and hyperactivity in children. Experiments have been done where one group of children was given sugary drinks and another were given sugar-free drinks, for instance, and no difference in their hyperactivity levels was noticed (the children were not told whether their drinks were sugary or sugar-free). Children are just naturally hyperactive, sugar or no sugar. The reason for this myth is mostly likely a combination of confirmation bias on the part of the parents and psychological conditioning on the part of the children - parents who believe this rumour are more likely to notice their children being hyperactive after having sugar, and children aware of this rumour may subconsciously (or even consciously) act more hyper after having sugar because of it, but there is no direct correlation between amount of sugar consumed and hyperactivity levels (this is why the children in the experiment were not told whether their drinks were sugary or sugar-free).
2. Sitting close to the TV is bad for your eyes.
Truth: It can cause eye strain, but that's about it. Again, scientists have not been able to find any link between sitting close to the TV and poor eyesight. As well, most scientists believe that sitting close to the TV is simply a habit of young children that they naturally grow out of as they get older, even if they're not told off for it. It's most likely something to do with children's eyes simply functioning slightly differently from adults', meaning they might actually need to sit closer to the TV to be able to see it more clearly.
Anyone know of any more?
3. Too much sugar causes diabetes.
Truth: Diabetes is a genetic, hereditary disease that has nothing to do with environmental factors. If you get type 2 adult onset diabetes, it's because it was programmed into your genes from birth, not because of how much sugar you consumed as a child. Of course, too much sugar is bad for you in other ways, but it won't give you diabetes.
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