Children given a beverage containing certain mixtures of food colors and the preservative sodium benzoate showed significantly increased hyperactivity scores in a British randomized, controlled, cross-over study.
Findings of the study, which included 153 3-year-olds and 144 8- and 9-year-old children selected from the general population, support previous research suggesting that certain food additives can exacerbate hyperactive behaviors such as inattention, impulsivity, and overactivity.
Investigators in the current study said their findings suggest that the policy makers review the use of food additives because of their potential negative effect on education (Lancet 2007 Sept. 6 [Epub doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61306-3
“This study provides evidence of deleterious effects of (additives) on children's behaviour with data from a whole population sample,” wrote the researchers, led by Jim Stevenson, Ph.D., of the University of Southampton's School of Psychology.
“These findings show that adverse effects are not just seen in children with extreme hyperactivity (i.e., ADHD), but can also be seen in the general population and across the range of severities of hyperactivity.”
The study was funded by a grant from the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency.