Food Additives and Temper Tantrums
Today (Oct 25 2002) The Food Commission (www.foodcomm.org.uk ) issued a press release outlining new government research that directly links certain additives with changes in behaviour.
Researchers at the UK's Asthma & Allergy Research Centre have concluded that "significant changes" in hyperactive behaviour in children can be produced by removing colourings and additives from their diet. The researchers actually went further, and our quoted as saying that "The findings of the present study suggest that benefit would accrue for all children from such a change, and not just for those already showing hyperactive behaviour or who are at risk of allergic reactions."
The food additives that were tested were the preservative Sodium Benzoate E211 and the colours Tartrazine E102, Sunset Yellow E110, Carmoisine E122, Ponceau 4R E124. The additives were tested on 277 three-year-olds from the Isle of Wight. Worryingly, the test dose of colourings used in the trial was below levels permitted in children's foods and drinks. The level of sodium benzoate was the same as the normal permitted level. Many children are taking in much larger doses if, over the day, they eat a number of products containing these additives.
The additives are extremely common in foods eaten by children such as sweets (candies) soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, crisps, canned vegetables, ice lollies and ice cream, and yoghurt.
The researchers estimate that if the problem additives were removed from all children's diets in the UK, the rate of hyperactivity would go down from one child in six to one child in 17.
The information for this article has been taken from the Food Commission Press Release 25 Oct 2002 and supplementary information available on their web site (www.foodcomm.org.uk).
For information on elimination diets and testing of foods please
read the
Food Intolerance articles and/or
Change Your Diet and Change Your Life.