Artificial food dyes linked to hyperactivity, doctors urge Congress to act

Monday April 13,2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Foods that contain synthetic food dyes have come under scrutiny, as nineteen psychiatrists, toxicologists and pediatricians have recently asked Congress to ban their use. The scientists, all of whom are well respected in their fields, point to a growing link between artificial food dyes and hyperactivity and attention problems.

Artificial food dyes are used to give many foods a more pleasing appearance. Dyes like Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 and Yellow 6 have all been linked to attention and behavior disorders in children, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit watchdog organization. These dyes are often petroleum-based and included in foods that are marketed to children, such as gum, candy, cereal and many others (wellbeingjournal.com)

According to the letter, a Dr. Ben Feingold first discovered a link between behavioral disorders and artificial food dyes in the 1970s. Studies since have “confirmed that some children are adversely affected by foods, with food dyes being the ingredients most intensively studied.” The letter goes on to report that “one of the early studies was actually funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and two recent studies were funded by the Food Standards Agency of the British Government.”

Consumers looking to avoid artificial food dyes can find a parents’ guide for ADHD and an “ADHD diet” by following this link: http://www.cspinet.org/new/adhd_bklt.pdf. The food dyes most commonly linked to behavior and attention problems are listed above, and parents are urged to look out for BHT, BHA, and TBHQ. BHT, BHA, and TBHQ are food preservatives linked with hyperactivity, cancer and other medical issues.

Congress and the U.S. FDA have taken no action to restrict the amount of artificial dyes used by food companies. Meanwhile, the British parliament has urged food companies to cut down on the use of artificial food dyes and a committee of the European Parliament voted to include warning labels on foods consumed by children. The vote also included a ban on artificial food dyes in products consumed by babies and children aged six and under.

Food dyes do not necessarily have to be artificial, though synthetic food dyes tend to be cheaper and brighter. As an alternative, food dyes can be vegetable or fruit-based. The amount of food dyes consumed by Americans has increased dramatically since 1955, from 12 mg per capita per day to 59 mg per capita per day.

(By Will Levine, and edited by Heather Kelley)