Remove Food Additives From Hyperactive Children's Diets, Experts Suggest

A properly supervised trial eliminating colours and preservatives from the diet of hyperactive children should be considered a part of the standard treatment, says an editorial in the British Medical Journal.Although a substantial body of evidence shows a link between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and artificial food colourings and preservatives, removing them is still considered an alternative rather than a standard treatment for ADHD, writes Professor Andrew Kemp from the University of Sydney.In contrast, despite a lack of evidence for its effectiveness, the use of alternative medicine is widespread -- up to 50% of children attending tertiary children's hospitals in the U.K. and Australia have used it in the past year.Of the three main treatments for ADHD in children -- drugs, behavioural therapy, and... [read full story]