Disappointment At No Action On Food Additives To Protect Children, UK

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Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  ADHD;  Allergy
Article Date: 22 Sep 2007 - 9:00 PDT

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Several nutrition and medical groups in the UK have expressed their disappointment and outrage at the Food Standard's Agency's (FSA's) refusal to act on food additives. A recent report has shown that several additives have a significant impact on ADHD in children - in fact, Professor Jim Stevenson, who carried out the research, stated that additives pose a threat to children's psychological health. The FSA Board Meeting decided to pass the buck on to the European Food Safety Authority.

According to the FSA, the evidence so far is not compelling enough to justify a ban. However, FSA chairman Dame Deirdre Hutton, said "I think there is a general astonishment that industry has not responded more quickly to consumer demand in terms of taking colors out of their food."

The FSA also decided to slightly widen the range of its advice to parents of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), but not for parents of all children. The recent study showed that food additives have an impact in attention and hyperactivity in most children, not just susceptible ones.

Some action is being taken by several retailers, who are taking additives out of their own-label products. However, nothing has been done so far regarding school meals, takeaways (takeouts), restaurants and medications for children.

Richard Watts, coordinator of Sustain's Children's Food Campaign said: "Professor Stevenson, who undertook the study on additives, told the FSA that there was the evidence necessary to ban these additives because they do pose a threat to health. Parents will be furious that the FSA has chickened out of taking this vital step to protect their children. It is simply not good enough to give consumers a bit more help to avoid these unnecessary additives. Consumers are clear they don't want to have to spend ages scanning labels to see if a product will threaten the health of their child. And people do not see the label on around half the food and drink they consume. A ban on these additives is the only appropriate step."

-- Childhood Hyperactive Behaviors Exacerbated By Food Additives And Artificial Color

-- Click here to view the study on food additives and their effects of children

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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