Recent Study Finds Food Additives Linked to Hyperactivity
I have never been a big proponent of food coloring and preservatives but there has been controversy on both sides of the issue on whether or not they cause and exacerbate ADHD and/or hyperactivity.
A recent study conducted in Britain and published in The Lancet, a British Medical Journal, (and written up in the New York Times) found that “a mix of additives commonly found in children’s food increases the mean level of hyperactivity.”
The double blind, 6 week trial was conducted with several hundred 3-year-olds and 8 and 9-year-olds using a variety of food colorings and sodium benzoate – a preservative commonly used in food. The children were evaluated by teachers, parents, and a computer test for inattention and hyperactivity. “Researchers discovered that children in both age groups were significantly more hyperactive and that they had shorter attention spans if they consumed the drink containing the additives.” (Rosenthal, The New York Times, Sept 6, 2007).
The article in the NY Times can be found here
If you are interested in learning more about food allergies and how children may react to foods and additives, or want to know how to do a diet to find out how your child reacts to specific foods, I highly recommend Doris Rapp’s book “Is this your child? Discovering and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults.”
It’s a thick book and filled with information on how to test and treat allergies (without medication). I found it truly eye-opening, especially drawings included in the book of children who cannot control their crayon after having certain foods (pizza, ice cream, and soda in one example) and then draw beautifully and within the lines just two days later after being on a food elimination diet and the suspect foods have left the system.
Published by Robyn Howisey on September 11th, 2007 Tagged Alternative treatment, Nutrition
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