Food Additives and Children

Food Additives Can Affect Children's Behavior
by J. Foster

A carefully controlled study (funded by the British Food Standards Agency) has found that food colorings and preservatives affect a child's ability to learn and concentrate.

"A mix of additives commonly found in children's foods increases the mean level of hyperactivity," (from IHT)

The research was carried out over a 6 week period. It involved giving a randomly selected group of children drinks with additives - the diet outside of this was carefully controlled. Other groups were given a placebo drink that looked the same.

The outcome (published in the Lancet):

3-year-olds and 8-and-9-year-olds were significantly more hyperactive and had shorter attention spans if they drank the mix that contained artificial ingredients. The study only included children in those two age groups.

The exact additives that may be causing the problem cannot be determined as the drinks contained a mix - although sodium benzoate was mentioned - which suggests that soda is not the best drink to give a child.

The British FSA said parents should "adjust the child's diet accordingly". Although one Massachusetts pediatric expert recommends against changing diet - claiming the child will be ostracized by peers: "It is very socially impacting if children can't eat the things that their friends do."

Such an excuse is indefensible. If your child is sensitive or even allergic to foods or additives -- would you deny them a healthier diet -- because of peer pressure?

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