Does removing food dyes, preservatives, and other additives from the diet work?
Research on diet and ADHD first began in the 1970s when pediatrician Ben Feingold claimed that ADHD, among other behavioral and health problems, could be improved by the elimination of certain food additives. Though some studies showed improvements in behavior on the Feingold diet, it was extremely restrictive and difficult to follow. However, the fact that some children did respond indicated that diet can have positive effects on behavior. Two recent studies that have looked at specific additives and preservatives, and their results are noteworthy. Results showed that these additives, when given during the critical development window, affect growth of cells in the brain. A second study, looking at the effect of a food colorings and the preservative sodium benzoate on hyperactivity in three year old children, showed significant reductions in hyperactive behavior when the additives were removed from the diet. Though this is intriguing research, the studies were small and their results d
