Parents have long suspected that additives in processed foods can affect their children’s behaviour and mood,and possibly contribute to ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Such serious concerns have pressurised some manufacturers to create processed foods without any additives.

An interesting experiment on the Trevor McDonald Tonight show (ITV, UK) demonstrated that identical twins fed altered diets behaved differently. Michael and Christopher Parker, aged 5, were put on different diets for two weeks.

Christopher was allowed to eat his normal diet which included fizzy drinks, chocolates, ice cream, flavoured crisps and canned foods. Michael was banned from eating chocolate, artificially coloured sweets, soft drinks, certain canned foods and was allowed to eat fruit and other whole foods and to drink natural juice and water.

After two weeks, Michael became calmer, more assertive and talkative, while his brother remained the same. Aptitude tests before the experiment, devised by Professor Jim Stevenson of Southampton University, showed that the twins had similar concentration and IQ scores. Tests after the experiment demonstrated that Michael’s overall score had increased by 15% in comparison to his brother’s score who was fed his normal diet. Michael’s mum was amazed by his dramatic improvement.

The experiment was broadened to include Michael and Christopher’s classmates in Cheshire. After a fortnight of restricting additives, 57% of parents noticed improvements in their children’s behaviour and sleep patterns, suggesting that food additives may not only contribute but, in some cases, cause ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

This experiment suggests a low or free additive diet improves concentration, mood and even behaviour in some if not many children. However, firm conclusions should not be drawn from such an experiment - the children’s parents could have easily affected the experiment’s outcome and/or the improvement could be down to increased vitamin and mineral intake, or some other factor, but this experiment’s findings are supported by a number of studies!

This experiment was conducted by: www.ITV.com