British Study Links Hyperactivity To Food Colorings, Additives

A study of 300 British children found that consuming food additives and colorings increased their hyperactivity, regardless of whether they had a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder.

Professor Jim Stevenson observed significant differences in behaviors after groups of three-year-olds and groups of seven and eight-year-olds drank beverages containing carmoisine, tartrazine, ponceau 4R, sodium benzoate, sunset yellow coloring and other common colorings.

This study from the University of Southampton adds to the controversy about food additives and hyperactivity. Many parents of hyperactive children and children with disorders such as Asperger Syndrome believe that eliminating such additives helps their children. Nevertheless, double-bind studies have disproved their anecdotal evidence.

"This is a well-designed and potentially very important study," said Dr. Sue Baic, a dietician at the University of Bristol. "Feeding children diets largely consisting of heavily processed foods, which may also be high in fat, salt and sugar, is not optimal for their health. This study appears in the British medical journal, Lancet.

Learn more about Asperger's Syndrome and high-functioning Autism at YourLittleProfessor.com.