E-numbers and Hyperactivity: ADHD

Can food additives make children hyperactive, or contribute to ADHD? It's a question that has been around for decades. Many parents are convinced there's a link, and the research, while not conclusive, does suggest certain colourings and one common preservative can affect behaviour in some children. Here's what's actually known, and what UK rules now say about it.

Understanding ADHD

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a recognised neurodevelopmental condition. It's thought to involve differences in how certain brain chemicals and circuits work, particularly in the areas that handle attention, impulse control and activity levels. It isn't simply a case of a child being lively or badly behaved.

Children with ADHD can swing between being restless and constantly on the move, and being distant or unable to focus. They often struggle to stick with a task, follow a sequence of instructions, or sit still long enough to finish something. For families, it can be exhausting, and it can be tough on the child, especially at school.

The NHS estimates that ADHD affects roughly 3 to 5 per cent of school-aged children in the UK, based on diagnosed cases, though rates have risen sharply in recent years as awareness has grown and assessment has become more accessible. Treatment usually involves a mix of behavioural support, school-based strategies and, in some cases, medication such as methylphenidate. Diet has been studied as a possible factor in behaviour, but it isn't a treatment for the condition itself.

The diet question

Parents have long suspected that what their children eat and drink affects how they behave, particularly when it comes to fizzy drinks, sweets and brightly coloured snacks. For many years this was dismissed as anecdote. Then came a piece of UK research that changed the conversation.

In 2007, researchers at the University of Southampton published a study, funded by the Food Standards Agency, looking at the effect of certain artificial colours and the preservative sodium benzoate on children's behaviour. They tested 153 three-year-olds and 144 children aged eight and nine, giving them drinks containing mixes of these additives and comparing the results against a placebo.

The mixes were associated with increased hyperactivity in the children tested, including those who did not have a diagnosis of ADHD. The additives involved were:

• E102 (tartrazine)
• E104 (quinoline yellow)
• E110 (sunset yellow FCF)
• E122 (carmoisine)
• E124 (ponceau 4R)
• E129 (allura red AC)
• E211 (sodium benzoate)

The six colours became known as the "Southampton Six". The findings were significant enough that UK and European regulators acted on them, though not by banning the colourings outright.

E Number Checker

Enter an E number or ingredient and find out if it is halal, vegan, or contains animal products. Takes seconds.

Try our E Number Checker free, here on this site →

What the law says now

Since 2010, UK law requires any food or drink containing one or more of the six Southampton colours to carry a warning on the label stating that the colour "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children". The rule originated in EU food labelling law and has been retained after Brexit, though regulations can change, so it's worth checking the Food Standards Agency website for the current position. The requirement applies whether you're buying a packet of sweets, a soft drink or a baked product.

In practice, many UK manufacturers reformulated their products to drop these colourings altogether, replacing them with natural alternatives such as beetroot extract, paprika or turmeric. You'll still find the Southampton Six in some imported products and a handful of older British brands, but they're much less common than they used to be. Own-brand sweets, squashes and baked goods from the major supermarkets have largely moved away from them, and many children's snack ranges are marketed specifically as free from artificial colours.

Sodium benzoate (E211) was not included in the warning label requirement, partly because it has a useful role as a preservative and partly because the study could not separate out its effects from the colours. It's still widely used, particularly in soft drinks and some sauces.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

So do E numbers cause ADHD?

No, and that's worth being clear about. The Southampton study, and the research that followed it, suggested that these additives can increase hyperactive behaviour in some children, including those without an ADHD diagnosis. That isn't the same as saying they cause the condition. ADHD is a complex disorder with strong genetic and developmental factors. Diet may influence symptoms in some children, but it isn't the underlying cause.

The NHS position is that there's no clear evidence diet causes ADHD, but that some children may be sensitive to particular foods or additives. Parents who notice a pattern should keep a food diary and speak to their GP before cutting out major food groups. Restrictive diets in children should only be followed with proper guidance, ideally from a registered dietitian, because it's easy to create nutritional gaps.

Practical steps for parents

A few things are worth doing if you're concerned about additives and your child's behaviour:

• Read labels. Look for the E numbers listed above and check for the warning statement on packaging.
• Cook from scratch where you can. Most additives turn up in processed foods, drinks and confectionery, so home cooking reduces the load.
• Keep a simple diary for a couple of weeks, noting what your child has eaten, the time of day, what they were doing, and how they behaved. Patterns sometimes show up that aren't obvious day to day.
• Choose alternatives where you can. Many brands of squash, sweets and ice lollies now use fruit and vegetable extracts for colour.
• Speak to your GP. If you suspect your child reacts to a particular food, ask for a referral to a dietitian. If you're worried about ADHD specifically, the GP is also the route to an assessment.

None of this means banning treats. It means knowing what's in them, and paying attention to how your child responds.

For more on individual additives and what they're used for, you can browse the rest of the site by category. The Food Standards Agency website also publishes up-to-date guidance on additives and labelling rules in the UK.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our E Number Checker lets you enter an E number or ingredient and find out if it is halal, vegan, or contains animal products. Takes seconds. Try it now →