Doctors and consumer advocates have long argued over whether hyperactivity might be tied to certain dyes and additives used in processed foods.
In a two-day meeting beginning Wednesday, an FDA advisory committee will examine the strength of evidence surrounding food dyes and the detrimental behavior changes seen in some children. They may decide that food labels should be changed to better protect consumers, or that certain dyes should be banned altogether, or to further study the issue.
A 2008 petition from a Washington, D.C-based watchdog group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, asked the FDA to ban eight different food dyes including Yellow No. 5 — found in macaroni-and-cheese mixes, lemon-lime Gatorade, Lucky Charms cereal, and many other foods.
Since 1976, the nonprofit Feingold Association has achieved amazing results helping families whose children are diagnosed with hyperactive disorders, according to 2002 Good News Network article, Diet Linked to Hyper Kids. The Feingold program is a diet free of synthetic colors and flavors, and the preservatives BHA, BHT and TBHQ.
(READ the full story in CNN-Health)