Artificial food colourings and preservatives lead to behavioural problems in children

This study was published in the Archives of  Disease in Childhood 2004 Jun;89(6):506-11

Study title and authors:
The effects of a double blind, placebo controlled, artificial food colourings and benzoate preservative challenge on hyperactivity in a general population sample of preschool children.
Bateman B, Warner JO, Hutchinson E, Dean T, Rowlandson P, Gant C, Grundy J, Fitzgerald C, Stevenson J.
Infection, Inflammation and Repair Division, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15155391

The aim of the study was to determine whether artificial food colourings and a preservative in the diet of 3 year old children in the general population influence hyperactive behaviour.

A total of 1,873 children were included in the study, of which some showed signs of hyperactivity and/or atopy (allergies).

For the first week all children were subjected to a diet eliminating artificial colourings and benzoate preservatives (withdrawal phase). They then received, in random order, periods of dietary challenge with a drink containing artificial colourings (20 mg daily) and sodium benzoate (45 mg daily) (active period), or a placebo mixture, supplementary to their diet.

The study found:
(a) There were significant reductions in hyperactive behaviour during the withdrawal phase.
(b) There were significantly greater increases in hyperactive behaviour during the active than the placebo period based on parental reports.
(c) These effects were not influenced by the presence or absence of hyperactivity, nor by the presence or absence of atopy.

To conclude: There is a general adverse effect of artificial food colouring and benzoate preservatives on the behaviour of 3 year old children.