Additive-free twin, 5, outshines brother
Apr 29 2003
By Tom Whitehead Daily Post Correspondent
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AN EXPERIMENT involving identical twin brothers has revealed the dramatic effect an additive-free diet can have on children.
Christopher and Michael Parker, aged five, were put on separate diets for a fortnight with the latter only allowed food free of E numbers or additives.
And in just two weeks Michael had become more assertive and calmer than his brother and outperformed him on IQ tests.
The experiment and the changes in Michael's behaviour were revealed on ITV1's Tonight with Trevor McDonald programme last night.
Their mother Lynn Parker, from Crewe, Cheshire, told the programme: "The twin that came off the additives has been conforming a lot and has developed a sense of humour and is a lot more talkative.
"He's definitely changed over the last few weeks. As a mother it's been quite an eye-opener.
"You don't realise until you start looking at labels just what is in the food that you're giving to you children and after all it's our choice as to whether we give our children the food with the additives, with the E numbers or not.
"But overall I can't believe the changes that Michael has shown in his behaviour and as a result the knock-on effect that it's had with the rest of us as well."
The list of products banned from Michael during the experiment included chocolate and sweets, fizzy drinks, flavoured crisps and caffeine.
He was allowed additive-free goods such as ready salted crisps, fruit, banana chips and some yoghurts. Children in the twins' class at Dingle School, Crewe, were also given school meals free of 39 named E numbers but Michael's brother Christopher maintained an additive-filled diet at home.
In IQ tests before the experiment the twins each made the same mistakes and completed them in exactly the same time. Two weeks later, they conducted the same tests and Christopher had improved 10pc but Michael had improved by 25pc.
Child psychologist Professor Jim Stevenson, of Southampton University, conducted the tests but was not told which twin was additive-free.
In the second series of tests he noticed a difference between the siblings and correctly picked Michael as the twin who had gone without E numbers.
"The most striking thing I think is that Michael is a bit more assertive, perhaps more controlling, certainly more vocal of the two," he told the programme.
Professor Kevin Morgan, of Cardiff University, said school meals were a key area for improving children's health and behavioural development.
"Our research suggests that between 32p to 40p per primary school meal is what is allocated to the food ingredients and that is just simply not enough to provide a good nutritious meal for a young primary school child," he said.
Simon Jones, headteacher at Dingle School, added: "The quality of school meals is very good and we're very pleased with them.
"But although the menu here is well planned, the food, like all school meals, is not additive-free and additives are now being increasingly blamed for children's bad behaviour."
Additive-free twin, 5, outshines brother
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