New study links food additives to hyperactivity in children

New study links food additives to hyperactivity in children

news.yahoo.com

PARIS (AFP) - A cocktail of artificial colours and the commonly-used preservative sodium benzoate are linked to hyperactivity in children, according to a ground-breaking study published Thursday by The Lancet.

The implications are far-reaching, say the investigators, who suggest that by vetting their child's diet, parents have a simple tool to help them tackle hyperactive behaviour.

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This study makes a lot of sense to me. With the current obesity problem in the USA and the many children being diagnosed with ADHD and similar problems, it's no surprise that they are linked to the children's diets. I for one can attest to the fact that if you go a few days without eating food with massive amounts of preservatives, you will feel like a new person with lots of energy and life. Natural foods are definatly worth spending a little extra money on.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

As a mom, I can totally testify to this.

The first time my child had Kraft Macaroni and cheese, within a couple of hours the behavior was out of control and the mood totally bi-polar. It lasted for a day or so before tapering off. At the time, I din't know what was going on and I was totally freaked out. Called the doctor and everything. Only after witnessing this same phenomenon several more times did I start to connect the dots.

Now my family eats mostly organic everything. No preservatives, food coloring or high fructose corn syrup at all if we can help it. Modern life makes this practically impossible. Grocery shopping is a big pain in the a$$ and expen$ive too. I never ceased to be amazed that food that is natural or unprocessed is more expensive than food that is completely fake and manufactured. I guess that is a conspiracy for an entirely different thread!

Of course, with kids you can never escape the evil McD's, what with all of the commercials and toys. When we do give in, we can see a difference in behavior and mood then as well.

It is my understanding that many of the food additives that are approved for use in America by the FDA, are banned or prohibited in specific amounts in Europe. One frightening thing to stay away from besides high fructose corn syrup is aspartame. Don't just take my word for it, look it up.

As a mom with a kid who is ADHD I'd like to clarify that not all kids are affected by the additives or eating out. We've cut down on sweets and eating out for weight issues, it didn't have anything to do with behavior.