Diet and Hyperactivity

11/14/2007

For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
H. L. Mencken

A UK study reported in Work & Family Life (November 2007; www.workandfamilylife.com) demonstrates the impact of food additives on children's behavior. Researchers at the University of Southampton served 300 children in two age groups (3's and 8-9's) three different fruit drinks daily. One-third of the children were served a drink that contained the amount of food dye and sodium benzoate typically found in a British child's diet. The second drink contained a lower concentration of those food additives, and the third was free of additives.

Over three seven-day periods, teachers, parents, and graduate students used standardized evaluation tools to measure the children's concentration, restfulness, fidgeting, and talking or interrupting too much. Those doing the testing did not know which children received which drinks. The children in both age groups were found to be significantly more hyperactive when drinking the beverage with higher levels of additives. The greatest impact was observed in the three-year-olds! In response, the British Food Standards Agency issued an advisory to limit children's intake of additives if parents noticed an effect on behavior.

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