What Happens When Children Get Too Much Food Dye and Sugar?

Too many Americans, including our youngest ones, are getting too much sugar in their diet. In addition, some parents are unwittingly feeding their children high doses of food dye. What are the consequences for health later in life? Pediatricians have been concerned about the effects of food dyes on kids’ behavior. In addition, one study suggests we should be looking at the implications of the digestive tract. We have just learned that the consequences of sugar consumption may show up many decades later.

Sugar Rationing in the First Two Years Lowers the Risk of Dementia in Later Life

Limiting sugar during the first two years of life may help protect the brain in old age. A study of more than 60,000 participants in the UK Biobank has revealed some fascinating observations about sugar exposure during early development (NPJ Aging, July 22, 2026). Because Britain rationed sugar from the Second World War (1940) until 1953, researchers have taken advantage of this natural experiment. They analyzed data for people born between 1951 and 1954. They included people exposed to sugar rationing only while their mothers were pregnant, those exposed to sugar rationing up to two years of age and those born after rationing stopped. These people are all now in their 70s.

The scientists evaluated participants for depression, anxiety, Alzheimer disease and all-cause dementia. Those who experienced sugar rationing up to age two had a 46% reduced risk for Alzheimer disease, 27% lower likelihood of any type of dementia and reductions in anxiety (20%) and depression (11%). Brain images indicated slower brain aging among those who were babies or toddlers during sugar rationing. We are unlikely to see sugar rationing as a national effort any time soon. However, parents are now being encouraged not to feed their children sugar-sweetened treats until they are ten. The authors suggest that early sugar restriction might benefit the brain, especially later in life.

Red Food Dye Alters the Lining of the Digestive Tract

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030) urge people to eat real food and minimize consumption of processed food. The Department of Health and Human Services has also taken steps to reduce the use of food dye in children’s meals and snacks. This has been a particular interest of Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Studies support concerns about widespread exposure to these compounds.

Researchers have discovered that Allura Red food dye, also called FD&C Red 40, disrupts gut barrier function (Nature Communications, Dec. 20, 2022). As a result, experimental animals develop inflammation in the digestive tract. Exposure to this dye early in life can lead to colitis and to symptoms similar to Crohn’s disease. This is troubling, since many of the foods containing this color are designed to appeal to young children: candy, cereal, soft drinks and some dairy products.

Scientists have long known that consuming lots of processed foods increases people’s risk of inflammatory bowel diseases. This food colorant is present in numerous processed foods. Perhaps that helps explain, in part, the damage such foods can do. According to this research, the dye increases the secretion of serotonin in the gut and disrupts the balance of microbes living there.

Previous Study–Food Dye Is Common

In earlier research, investigators at Purdue University found that some popular brands of cereals and candies contain unexpectedly high levels of artificial colorings, up to 40 mg a serving (Clinical Pediatrics, online April 24, 2014). Most of the highly colored foods are also highly sugared, with up to 15 grams a serving, so they appeal strongly to children.

Scientists worry that some children may be especially sensitive to these chemicals and could react by developing behavioral problems.  As a result, parents might have to deal with temper tantrums, irritability or trouble sleeping. These vulnerable youngsters may also develop attention difficulties and hyperactivity.

It is difficult to argue that any child actually needs foods that contain such high levels of coloring and sugar. Most parents might want to leave them on the shelf.

Finding Breakfast Without Food Dye or Sugar

Breakfast is important for good health, but will just any breakfast do? Years ago, scientists at Yale University examined the impact of serving children high-sugar cereals (Pediatrics, Jan. 2011). Such products are heavily advertised directly to children, and some experts have rationalized that even heavily sweetened cereals are better than no breakfast at all.

The researchers recruited youngsters from summer camps to be randomly assigned to choose their favorite of three high-sugar cereals or three low-sugar cereals. They found that kids liked the low-sugar cereals as well as the highly sweetened ones, and both groups consumed the same total amount of calories for breakfast. Children eating unsweetened cereal ate more of their calories as fruit on their cereal, while those consuming presweetened cereal got more of their morning calories as table sugar.

Learn More:

We discuss healthful breakfasts for children (and the rest of us) and the harm excess sugar can do in our one-hour interview with Dr. Robert Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF and author of Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, and Disease. It is Show 947: Why Overdosing on Sugar Could Be Killing You. 

You may also be interested in a subsequent interview. We spoke with Dr. Lustig in Show 1145: Are Big Corporations Hacking the American Mind?