Food Colorings and ADHD in Children
New Research Supports Link Between Food Dyes and Hyperactivity
Jul 21, 2008
Last year, researchers at the University of Southampton in England conducted a study of 300 children from the general population. They reported that artificial colors in the diet resulted in increased hyperactivity in children [McCann D. Barrett A, Cooper A, Crumpler D, Dalen L, Grimshaw K, Kitchen E, Lok K, Porteous L, Prince E, Sonuga-Barke E, Warner JO & Stevenson J. "Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomised, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial." Lancet, 370, 1560-1567. 2007].
The British Government Takes Action
On July 8, 2008, the European Parliament voted in favor of labeling foods containing implicated food colorings. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) now recommends eliminating foods containing dyes from the diets of children who may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
As a member of the European Union, the UK cannot ban dyes on its own. However, the FSA has encouraged companies to voluntarily stop using the dyes. Food manufacturers, including Mars and McDonald's, have agreed to replace artificial dyes with natural alternatives, but only in their UK products.
The US FDA Maintains Safety of Dyes
On July 1, 2008, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a health, nutrition, and food safety advocacy organization, petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban these artificial dyes and to require prominent labeling until bans take effect.
However, the FDA maintains that scientific research supports no health risks associated with food colorings. "At this point," states FDA consumer safety officer Judith Kidwell, "there's no evidence of a connection between dyes and children's behavior."
US Companies follow the FDA's lead. "In every market where we do business," stated a McDonald's spokeswoman, "McDonald's only uses safe ingredients based on high quality standards and prevailing government requirements."
"They're [FDA officers] at least 20 years behind the science," said Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Not a New Issue
For decades, researchers and parents have argued that food colorings and additives cause or exacerbate ADHD and other behavior disorders in children.
After a review of 30 years of scientific studies involving food dye and behavior, Columbia University psychiatrist Dr. David Schab concluded that the dyes likely cause "neurobehavioral toxicity" [Schab, David W., M.D., M.P.H. "Do Artificial Food Colors Promote Hyperactivity in Children with Hyperactive Syndromes? A Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trials." Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics. December 2004].
In the 1960s, California allergist and pediatrician Dr. Benjamin F. Feingold developed the Feingold Diet which eliminates synthetic colors, flavors, sweeteners, and preservatives. He claimed that many patients with behavior problems improved on this diet. The Feingold Association continues Dr. Feingold's work.
In the wake of new research supporting the proposed link between food colorings and additives and hyperactivity, parents, advocacy groups, food manufacturers, and government agencies face choices regarding recommendations, labeling requirements, bans, and safe diets for children with and without diagnoses of ADHD. Concerned citizens can turn for additional information to the Action on Additives Campaign, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and the Feingold Association.
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