Children’s Health  

Answer:  

Although many children are affected by attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), its exact cause remains unknown. A great deal of research has been done on nutrition and ADHD. According to the Canadian Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Resource Alliance (CADDRA), research focused on the relationship between special diets, sugar, food dyes, allergies and ADHD still fail to show that diet is a significant factor in the onset of the disorder.

The only thing that has been proven is that, while food dyes do not cause hyperactivity as such, they can aggravate symptoms. This is what researchers discovered after giving beverages containing food dyes to 300 children. They reported that the beverages containing food dyes made children slightly more active, impulsive and inattentive than those without food dyes. The effect was found in both children with ADHD and those without.

Contrary to preservatives, food dyes serve no purpose other than to modify the appearance of food. These additives are often found in food with little nutritional value including sodas, snacks, chips and candy. Limiting your child’s intake of these types of foods can only be beneficial!

References:

• http://www.extenso.org/recherche/resultat.php
• http://www.caddra.ca/cms4/