Media resources on effects of artificial colours on children’s behaviour

 

 

Two media releases from the Food Intolerance Network:

 

6/9/2007 “Food additives again shown to worsen children’s behaviour – when will regulators act? asks Network”. http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/extras/Southampton.pdf

 

13/9/2007 “Time for action on kids and food colours” http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/features/colours/Southampton02.pdf

 

13/9/2007 Confectionery giants cut use of artificial additives - In the wake of a damning scientific report on the health effects of artificial additives, Cadbury Trebor Bassett and Mars UK today said they are cutting the chemicals from their products http://foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=79751.

 

12/9/2007 Prince Charles: Children are being poisoned by food additives - Prince Charles has issued a clarion call for society to stop a generation of "over-industrialised" children poisoning themselves with food additives. Echoing the Daily Mail's campaign to ban potentially harmful food colourings and preservatives from the food chain, the heir to the throne described the situation as "terrifying" and blamed the plague of anti-social behaviour on the eating habits of young people. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=481422&in_page_id=1770.

 

Lancet 6/9/2007 - Food additives linked to increased hyperactivity in children

 

Artificial food colour and additives commonly found in children's food exacerbate hyperactive behaviours in children, at least up to middle childhood, according to a research article. Importantly, these adverse effects are reported in children in the general population and across a wide range of severities of hyperactivity, and not just in those with extreme hyperactivity as established in previous studies (login required) http://www.thelancet.com/

 

13/9/2007 Comments from the Food Intolerance Network on the recent FSANZ Factsheet “Effects of artificial colours on children's behaviour”

 

“New research into the possible effects of artificial food colours on children’s behaviour was published on 6 September, 2007 in the medical journal The Lancet. This study has been reviewed by experts in the United Kingdom and is described by the Food Standards Agency there as a helpful additional contribution to our knowledge on the possible effects of artificial food colours on children’s behaviour.”

 

COMMENT from FIN: Over 30 years of research have consistently shown that there are negative effects from colours. The few studies which did not support this view can be criticised on procedural grounds. The latest study, published in the Lancet on 6//9/2007, is a gold-standard double-blind placebo-controlled study with over 300 children. It is time to stop minimising the harm and to stop talking about “possible” effects – effects are proven by the best that science can manage. To say otherwise is patronising to both science and parents….FSANZfactsheet.htm

 

Center for Science in the Public Interest CSPI – Diet, ADHD and Behaviour: a quarter century review.

 

Reviewed 25 years of studies and concluded that the appropriate public health response would be to remove offending artificial colours from foods that children consume. http://cspinet.org/diet.html

 

10/09/2007- The food industry faces losing credibility over its reaction to the latest study throwing suspect light on chemical additives.

 

The rather anodyne initial reaction of food industry groups and the UK regulator to a major study on six of the main artificial colour additives and one preservative is rather puzzling given their stated commitment to promoting "nutrition, health and wellness". The statements by industry in relation to the University of Southampton study can only serve to damage the credibility carefully built up over the years to promote themselves as movers in that direction…http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=79610

 

6/9/2007 – The Financial Times takes the UK food regulator to task for a weak response: Watchdogs to consider food colouring research

 

European food authorities on Thursday promised to consider the British research showing a link between hyperactivity in children and food colourings, in a move that could have widespread implications for the industry. The European Food Safety Authority has been reassessing published research on food colourings this year as part of an overall review of food additives and has begun issuing fresh advice on specific colours. It will review the UK findings this month and rule on the use of one of the additives, Allura Red, on which the report was based….http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0629d616-5ca9-11dc-9cc9-0000779fd2ac.html

 

Recent Oz media reports

www.smh.com.au/news/national/colourful-stuff-can-make-children-crazy-study/2007/09/06/1188783415514.html  

www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10462182  

www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2007/s2026391.htm