The notion that artificial colors and preservatives in foods may play a role in hyperactivity has been largely discredited by conventional medicine till last year.

In a newly published editorial in the British Medical Journal, there is a call for removal of food additives from the diet to be part of standard initial treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder based on a recent controlled study that revealed an increase in hyperactivity among children without ADHD who were fed a diet high in food colorings and the preservative sodium benzoate. The American Academy of Pediatrics publication editors have urged the issue to be revisited based on the same study.

"Clearly it doesn't work for everybody, but very few treatments do," . "(Dietary modification) is certainly something that parents who want to avoid medications could try for a month or six weeks." Professor Kemp says.

In the United States, 4.7 million children, including 9.5% of boys and 5.9% of girls, have ever been diagnosed with ADHD, according to the latest statistics. Stimulant medications are the most commonly prescribed treatments for hyperactivity, but family and behavioral therapy is also used.

It might be suggested that eliminating colorings and preservatives should be part of standard treatment for these children for the time being.