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Diet & Sleep Problems

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Listed in reverse date order:
Breakey 1997     Review: The Role of Diet and Behaviour in Childhood
Rowe 1994Synthetic Food Coloring and Behavior:  A Dose Response Effect in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Repeated-Measures Study
Kaplan 1989Dietary Replacement in Preschool-Aged Hyperactive Boys
Fitzsimon 1978Salicylate sensitivity in children reported to respond to salicylate exclusion.
Salzman 1976 Allergy testing, psychological assessment and dietary treatment of the hyperactive child syndrome.



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  1. Review: The Role of Diet and Behaviour in Childhood, J. Breakey, Journal of Paediatric Child Health, 1997, Jun;33(3) pp.190-194
    "The research has shown that diet definitely affects some children. ... and some non-food items are relevant. Symptoms which may change include those seen in attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep problems and physical symptoms, with later research emphasizing particularly changes in mood."
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  2. Salicylate sensitivity in children reported to respond to salicylate exclusion. Fitzsimon M, Holborow P, Berry P, Latham S, Medical Journal of Australia 1978 Dec 2;2(12):570-2
    Twelve children, aged six to 13 years, whose parents reported an improvement in behavioural problems with use of the Feingold (K-P) diet for an average period of 12 months, were challenge-tested with 40 mg of acetylsalicylic acid in a double-blind, cross-over trial with ascorbic acid as a placebo. ... significance was reached in tests of general cognitive capacity, line walking and the "finger-to-nose" tests, as well as increased disturbance in sleep patterns in these children.
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  3. Dietary Replacement in Preschool-Aged Hyperactive Boys, B.Kaplan, et al, Pediatrics, 1989, Vol. 83, pp. 7-17
    "More than half the subjects exhibited reliable improvement in behavior and negligible placebo effects.  In addition, several nonbehavioral variables tended to improve ... particularly halitosis, night awakenings, and latency to sleep onset."
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  4. Synthetic Food Coloring and Behavior:  A Dose Response Effect in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Repeated-Measures Study, K.S.Rowe, K.J.Rowe, Journal of Pediatrics, November 1994, Vol. 135, pp.691-8
    150 of 200 children [75%] improved on an open trial of a diet free of synthetic food coloring, and 63% of them responded to a single-item challenge of tartrazine. In the double-blind portion, the study identified 24 children as clear reactors, including 19 of the 23 "suspected reactors" [82.5%] . "They were irritable and restless and had sleep disturbance. Significant reactions were observed at all six dose levels. A dose response effect was obtained."
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  5. Allergy testing, psychological assessment and dietary treatment of the hyperactive child syndrome. Salzman LK, Medical Journal of Australia 1976 Aug 14;2(7):248-51
    Thirty-one children with behavioural problems and learning difficulties were allergy tested ... 15 of these were given the Australian Version of the Feingold K.P. diet. Ninety-three per cent responded with improved behaviour in the areas of overactivity, distractability, impulsiveness and excitability. Sleep and enuresis problems were resolved partially or completely. This study demonstrates that the aforementioned elimination diet significantly affects behaviour.

    Note: Many people who don't "test positive" on such tests still respond well to the diet. Allergy testing may be useful if positive, but does not rule out response to diet management if negative.

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