Dieticians missed point on story: 60 Minutes

TV3's 60 Minutes says criticism by nutrition experts on its report on the effects of food colouring on children was disappointing and failed to focus on the real issue - that Britain is phasing out some artificial colours while New Zealand is doing nothing.

In the report, Off Colour, 60 Minutes conducted an experiment in which one group of children was given "healthy" food and the other was given "party" food containing artificial colouring.

The reporter commented on the differences in behaviour she observed, attributing those differences to food colouring in the items consumed.

NZ Dietetic Association senior clinical dietician Lyn Gillanders said the experiment was "probably one of the most biased you could ever hope to see".

"[It] only showed that if you hype children up enough with expectations and make them very excited about unlimited treat food that they hardly ever have, then they will behave badly."

She said there was no strong evidence linking additive consumption and behaviour changes and the research on the effects of additives on children's behaviour was "very much a mixed bunch".

Two university experts said parents should look at the nutritional value in the food they gave their children, and use positive reinforcement to help children adjust to eating healthy food.

60 Minutes acting executive producer Keith Slater responded today, saying a study by Britain's Southampton University found a link between food colours and hyperactivity and had prompted the European Union to urge food manufacturers to implement a voluntary ban, and for Britian's food standards agency to call for six artificial colours to be phased out.

"New Zealand, by comparison, is doing nothing" and this was the point of the story, he said.

He said viewers of the Off Colour report were told the experiment wasn't scientific and it was "a simple test to see if the children appeared to react to food in any way".

The food was chosen by a paediatrician and the experiment was overseen by a psychologist who noticed "immediate changes in the behaviour of the children eating the unhealthy food", Mr Slater said.

The children found it difficult to concentrate and had problems with co-ordination and writing.

Mr Slater said the children were not hyped up in any way.

"It is disappointing that critics have focused on one small element of the story instead of focusing on the real issue - the Southampton University study and why New Zealand is not following Europe's lead and looking at phasing out food colours," he said.

- NZPA