Food Additives Linked to Behavior Problems in Children

A study conducted by the UK’s government Food Standards Agency (FSA) found a definite link between food additives and behavior problems in children, such as temper tantrums and poor concentration. Food colorings and one preservative were tested on 3 year olds and 9 year olds. The culprits are tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104), allura red AC (E129), and the preservative sodium benzoate (E211).

Several individuals and organizations have been been campaining against artificial additives in children’s foods, including the founder of Organix, Lizzie Vann, quoted in the UK Daily Mail:

“The use of artificial additives in children’s foods means we are conducting a long-term experiment on our children’s health,” she said.

“If the Government is serious about improving children’s nutrition the ban on artificial food additives must be a priority.”

She has aptly suggested that even though our current research is based on short term study, if the additives are not banned, there will be long term evidence from the general population.

An adviser to the FSA, Vyvyan Howard, a professor of bio-imaging at Ulster University and a father, also thinks these additives should be banned:

“It is the right thing to do to remove these additives from children’s foods. They have no nutritional value, so why put them in?

“There are very tight restrictions banning these additives from foods designed for children under the age of one.

“But why stop there? Children’s brains and nervous systems are developing beyond the age of one.”

In fact, contrary to what you may have learned, adults do develop new brain cells in a process called neurogenesis; So developing children over the age of one can safely include adults.

Fortunately, some companies have changed without force, including the makers of Smarties who dropped all food coloring even resulting in the absence of the blue variety in their famous rolls.

Progress!

Tags: add, additives, adhd, children, Food, Health