An official website of the United States government.
This research project examines the impact of artificial food colourings and preservatives on children's behaviour.
<p>The project was divided into two stages, each involving double blind placebo controlled food challenges (DBPCFC). Stage one investigated the chronic effects of AFCPs on behaviour, acute affects were investigated in stage two.
<p>Overall, the questions to be addressed by the project were as follows:<ul>
<li>Do children respond to the withdrawal and introduction of AFCPs in their diets?
<li>Is any effect found with pre-school children also found in older children?
<li>Is any response seen in teacher ratings, direct observations of behaviour and test performance as well as in parent ratings?
<li>Is any response to AFCPs related to initial levels of ADHD i.e. is the response greater in children at the extreme end of the continuum?
<li>Do genetic differences moderate any effect?
<li>What are the metabolic and psychological mediators of any effect?
</ul>
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurological conditions found in children.
<p>There has been a longstanding suggestion that some artificial food colourings and preservatives (AFCPs) may affect children's behaviour, particularly in relation to ADHD.
<p>This project will build upon a previous study commissioned by the Government that examined the effects of AFCPs on the behaviour of a cohort of three-year old children.
<p>Although that study found that AFCPs may affect children's behaviour, the results were considered inconclusive as the effects were only observed by parents and were not confirmed independently by clinicians. A further limitation of the earlier study design was the observed 'placebo effect'.
<p>A large proportion of children in the first study were unaffected (or, in some cases, showed an improvement in behaviour) when on the additives mix, but showed worsening when on the placebo.
<p>The present study addresses these limitations and includes further experimental design improvements by taking into account guidance from the Food Additives and Behaviour in Children (FABIC) working group and the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT).
<p>Find more about this project and other FSA food safety-related projects at the <a href="http://www.food.gov.uk/science/research/" target="_blank">Food Standards Agency Research webpage</a>.