BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. A questionnaire evaluation of 486
hyperactive children (HA) (82% boys, aged 7-13 years and 18%
girls, aged 8-13 years) showed that more than 60% of cases
reported a positive behavioural response (i.e. increased
problems) in relation to consuming or being exposed to synthetic
colourings and flavourings, food and beverage preservatives,
cow's milk and associated products, chemical detergents and
perfume. In contrast, 172 sex- and age-matched control children
(C) reported only 12% of cases responding to synthetic
colourings and flavourings and chemical solvents. The main health
problems reported by the 96% of hyperactive children affected by
synthetic colourings and flavourings were persistent thirst
problems, the development of eczema, ear and/or chest infections,
and the production of excessive amounts of catarrh. Trace element
measurements undertaken by inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry showed that a low zinc and iron status is associated
with hyperactive children when compared with control children
for blood serum, urine and washed scalp hair (HA < C). In many
cases, hyperactive children also had very highly significant
raised levels of aluminium, cadmium and/or lead (HA > C),
particularly in urine and washed scalp hair samples. Hyperactive
children with a known behavioural response following the
consumption of a beverage containing tartrazine, E102 (n = 23),
sunset yellow, E110 (n = 12) and amaranth, E123 (n = 12) were
given a dose of chemical food colour (50 mg) and their zinc
levels (blood serum and urine) and behavioural activity were
monitored for 120 min. A sex- and age-matched control group was
also studied. Only hyperactive children showed a significant
reduction in blood serum zinc levels and an increase in urinary
zinc output following the consumption of E102 and E110. Amaranth
had no effect on their zinc status over the study time period.
There were no significant changes in the zinc levels for control
children for all three chemical food colours. The main
behavioural changes were observed in the hyperactive children
given E102 and E110. For the 23 children who consumed a
tartrazine beverage there were increased levels of overactivity
(n = 18 children), aggressive (n = 16) and/or violent (n = 4)
activity, poor speech (n = 2), poor coordination (n = 12), and
the development of asthma and/or eczema (n = 8). Most of these
were severe or moderate changes. Only one control child showed
minor behavioural responses to tartrazine. |