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Synthetic food colourings and 'hyperactivity': a double-blind crossover study
1Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Insights
The Feingold diet improved behavior in many children suspected of hyperactivity. Some children showed significant behavioral changes linked to synthetic food colorings in a controlled study.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Behavioral Science
- Allergy and Immunology
Background:
- Hyperactivity is a common concern in children.
- The Feingold diet, which excludes artificial food colorings, has been proposed as a dietary intervention.
- Previous studies suggest a link between artificial food colorings and behavioral changes in some children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of the Feingold diet in children with suspected hyperactivity.
- To investigate the specific effects of synthetic food colorings (tartrazine and carmoisine) on behavior in a subset of children.
Main Methods:
- A 6-week Feingold diet trial was conducted with 55 children.
- A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with 8 children was performed to assess reactions to tartrazine and carmoisine.
- Children were challenged with 50 mg of food colorings or placebo over 18 weeks.
Main Results:
- 72.7% of children showed improved behavior on the Feingold diet, with 47.3% remaining improved after 3-6 months.
- Two children were identified as significant reactors to synthetic food colorings, exhibiting irritability, restlessness, and sleep disturbance.
- One reactor did not present with inattention, challenging strict diagnostic criteria for hyperactivity.
Conclusions:
- The Feingold diet can be effective for managing behavioral issues in children with suspected hyperactivity.
- Synthetic food colorings may trigger adverse behavioral responses in sensitive children.
- Current diagnostic criteria for hyperactivity may overlook children sensitive to food dyes, suggesting a need for specific behavioral assessment tools for dye challenges.
Abstract:
Of 220 children referred for suspected 'hyperactivity', 55 were subjected to a 6 week trial of the Feingold diet. Forty (72.7%) demonstrated improved behaviour and 26 (47.3%) remained improved following liberalization of the diet over a period of 3-6 months. The parents of 14 children claimed that a particular cluster of behaviours was associated with the ingestion of foods containing synthetic colourings. A double-blind crossover study, employing a single-subject repeated measures design was conducted, using eight of these children. Subjects were maintained on a diet free from synthetic additives and were challenged daily for 18 weeks with either placebo (during lead-in and washout periods) or 50 mg of either tartrazine or carmoisine, each for 2 separate weeks. Two significant reactors were identified whose behavioural pattern featured extreme irritability, restlessness and sleep disturbance. One of the reactors did not have inattention as a feature. The findings raise the issue of whether the strict criteria for inclusion in studies concerned with 'hyperactivity' based on 'attention deficit disorder' may miss children who indicate behavioural changes associated with the ingestion of food colourings. Moreover, for further studies, the need to construct a behavioural rating instrument specifically validated for dye challenge is suggested.
