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By Carol Ann Brannon, MS, RD, LD
 Do the ingredient lists of your child’s favorite foods confuse you? Do you suspect that your child’s diet is connected to his mood, behavior, learning difficulties and attention span?
Your suspicions may not be just in your head. Studies are beginning to show that to maximize brain development, minimize negative behaviors and help children learn, parents should be very aware of what their children are eating.
As parents, it’s our job to make sure our kids are safe and thriving. We monitor what they see, hear, smell and touch with the hopes that our vigilance will ensure their progress and contentment. What about the food they eat? Healthy eating goes beyond just making sure they eat their veggies. Parents need to be aware of possible toxins in food, where those toxins come from, and how to make sure their kids are getting safe food. The safeguarding of our children’s diet becomes even more imperative when it might impact the value of their learning.
Scientific evidence does indicate that artificial food additives, such as preservatives and food dyes, can affect the cognitive functioning and behavior of some children with learning difficulties (and illnesses that can interrupt learning). Other substances in our food, such as pesticides are also being linked to learning differences, ADHD and influence on brain development. In 1999, the Center for Science in the Public Interest reviewed 17 controlled studies (most focused on artificial colors, some examined the effect of allergens like milk and corn) and concluded that diet does adversely affect some children’s behavior, sometimes dramatically. A 2007 study in Lancet involving 153 preschool and grade-school aged children in the United Kingdom reported that dietary intake of artificial food colorings and additives, particularly the preservative sodium benzoate, resulted in an increase in hyperactivity. Many parents already suspect what science is starting to prove, that pesticides and additives in our children’s food can affect their brain development and behavior. Despite the lack of scientific consensus, there is a wealth of anecdotal evidence citing improvement in ADHD symptoms, including sleep problems and mood changes with diet elimination of artificial additives. Children affected by eczema, asthma, allergies, hives and hay fever may be more responsive to dietary interventions.
Children are more vulnerable than adults to toxins since, pound for pound, they eat and drink more than adults. The use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, hormones and antibiotics in our food has become routine. Advances in biotechnology have yielded genetically-modified crops, and the demand for “convenience” foods have contributed to the increased use of chemicals and additives. Since our kids still have to eat (and get to school and soccer practice and therapy/tutoring appointments and play dates and birthday parties), how can a busy family make sure they are eating the safest, most brainhealthy food? The good news is that there are simple steps parents can take to decrease the toxins in their kids’ food and maximize their learning potential.
The five most offensive food toxins
The first step is for parents to be aware of what is actually in the food they eat. The words “natural” and “wholesome” on food packaging can be misleading and don’t always accurately reflect how the food was grown and/or prepared. Parents need to become familiar with the following five toxic offenders and in which foods you are most likely to find them.
- Organophosphates (OPs) are the most common class of pesticides used on corn, soy, wheat, and various fruits and vegetables. Although the government has set allowable and “safe” limits for chemical residues on conventionally grown produce, a growing number of experts question the current “toxic threshold” (the lowest exposure thought to be harmful). Research indicates that pesticides and toxins are more prevalent in foods than originally thought. A 2002 study found children ages 2 to 5 who ate conventionally grown food had 8.5 times more OP residue in their urine than children who ate organic foods. A 2004 report released by Environment California stated that children exposed to agricultural pesticides can show deficiencies in intellectual development, stamina, balance, hand-eye coordination and short-term memory. New studies are emerging suggesting pesticides, particularly OPs, are linked to ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and learning disorders. Foods to check: fresh fruit and produce.
- Mercury is released into the air and water from coalfired power plants, as well as municipal and medical waste incinerators. Bacteria in sediments and water convert mercury to the more toxic form, methylmercury, which enters the aquatic food chain, resulting in methylmercury- contaminated fish. The American Academy of Pediatrics advocates that minimizing mercury exposure is essential for optimal child health (especially for pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children) because mercury adversely affects many aspects of development, in particular brain maturation. Food to check: fish.
- Artificial food additives make up the more than 3,000 chemicals that are added to our food. Flavor enhancers, dyes, sweeteners and preservatives all serve to give food a longer shelf-life and a more appealing appearance. Today’s foods are first “refined” (stripped of important nutrients and fiber), then highly processed with artificial additives, and then fortified with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Foods to check: processed foods.
- Dioxins are unintentional byproducts of industrial activities that are released into the air and settle in water bodies, where they build up in fish and on grasslands where they are then ingested by cows. Polychlorinated biphenyls are a class of chemicals used in electrical equipment, hydraulic fluids, adhesives and other products. Although banned in the United States in 1979 due to evidence of toxicity even at low levels, their widespread use and persistence in the environment means that they will be present in our environment and food for years to come. These chemicals are especially toxic to growing, developing brains. Prenatal exposure can result in permanent IQ deficits. Foods to check: conventionally produced meat, fish, and dairy foods, especially those high in fat.
- Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around homes. It can enter drinking water from plumbing materials, and may cause arange of health effects including behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Children 6-years-old and under are most at risk. A variety of factors can result in lead-tainted water. See www.epa.gov/safewater/ lead/leadfactsheet.html for facts about how to determine if your drinking water might contain lead.
11 ways to detoxify the family diet
Below are 11 simple changes families can make to lessen the toxins in their diet. Remember, small changes make a big difference. Parents can choose one change each month, and within a year all the changes will be routine healthy habits. If your family members are big meat eaters, then you can choose just that one area and commit to eating organic beef or chicken.
- Focus on plant foods: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. Try to eat these foods before they are processed (an organic apple instead of apple juice, whole grain bread instead of white bread). Buy local produce since imported produce may be higher in pesticides than US-grown produce.
- Look for sports drinks and juice that are not artificially colored, or that use natural sources of color (beet juice).
- Avoid artificial sweeteners. Many products that are labeled “sugar free” contain artificial sweeteners.
- When it’s feasible, choose organic produce (see Optimize Your Organic Choices).
- Also when it’s feasible, choose low-fat (children 2-yearsold and younger need whole milk), organic animal products. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy foods come from animals not given antibiotics or growth hormones, and they must be fed 100 percent organic feed which is free of any animal by-products, hormones, antibiotics or other drugs. Grass-fed meats are preferable.
- Test your water for lead which can leach from old pipes or from the solder in pipes no matter what the age of the house. See the Environmental Protection Agency’s guidelines on testing your drinking water (www.epa.gov). Even if you have lead in your water, you don’t necessarily have to replace your pipes. See the National Safety Foundation (NSF) Web site at www.nsf.org to learn more about water filtration.
- To help block the storage of lead in your child’s body, serve your family meals that are low in fat and high in calcium and iron, including low-fat dairy products and green vegetables.
- Be aware of mercury levels in fish.
- Become fluent in reading ingredient lists and labels.
- Plant an organic container garden. You don’t need to plow up your back yard to grow your own organic veggies.
- Consider joining a community support agriculture group. For a fee, families can pick up locally grown organic produce each week. Check out www.localharvest.org/csa/ for more information.
With our busy lives and recovering economy, it’s easy to reach for the convenient and inexpensive food. Changing our eating habits may seem overwhelming and outside the budget, but by setting small realistic goals and by making one change at a time, parents can make a big difference in the safety of their kids’ food. And, safer food means a healthier brain.
Read Part II: Related Article: Making the Connection: How Where We Live Impacts Learning then take the Kids Enabled Making the Connections Survey.
This article has been made possible by a 2008 grant from the Learning Disabilities Association of America, Healthy Children’s Project. It is the hope of the LDAG and Kids Enabled to continue informing parents of the toxic risks that can impair learning, some of which are preventable before birth. If you would like more information on the Healthy Children’s Project and current legislation to reduce environmental toxins please visit, www.healthychildrenproject.org. If you would like to get more involved in reducing environmental toxins in Georgia, please email us at info@kidsenabled.com.
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