Going

If you’re not yet convinced of the dangers of food additives, having read about studies and the history of food additives in our first volume, you will likely be convinced of the dangers as you start to see people more and more taking action to protect themselves from the harmful effects them. The following story of the Virginia PTA is such an example.In the state of Virginia the parent-teacher association adopted a resolution in 2004 describing the dangers they had discovered were apparently caused by artificial food additives. In the beginning of the resolution it states the purpose of the Virginia PTA itself is to promote good health for all children and youth. It also states that the number of students in Virginia’s schools identified as having learning disabilities increased almost by 10% in just the one school year, from 1997 to 1998, which was a greater rate of increase than the increase in the actual student population. Something was terribly wrong. Of great concern to the PTA was the fact that this also represented an enormous growth in educational expenses to the state. The PTA also found that the number of students with • asthma, • allergies, and • other chronic respiratory conditions increased by 4.3% per year. This increase represented an increase of over three billion dollars every single year in healthcare costs! The PTA also determined that this represented 14 million lost days of school!Further evidence linked autistic disorders, upper respiratory conditions, hyperactivity, and ADD/ADHD to the consumption of food additives such as artificial dyes, flavor enhancers, and preservatives.The resolution thus adopted recommends that local PTA’s, and every other person concerned with the well-being and education of Virginia students, study the subject of artificial food additives and the negative effects on the health of children and their ability to learn. They also recommend all state and local governments as well as educational groups work to discourage and prevent the sale and consumption of food and beverages that contain artificial food additives not only during school hours but before and after school as well.The resolution goes even further and encourages parents, students, teachers, and government and school officials to support education on the subjects of nutrition and health so that the negative effects of artificial food additives on a child’s behavior, education, and physical health can be avoided or minimized.The PTA further urges the Virginia Board of Education to continue to look into available and new research on the subject, and research on the effects of artificial food additives just as fast as it comes available, in order to protect Virginia’s public school students from the negative effects. This is also to protect the state of Virginia from the potentially devastating financial impact of epidemic-like problems apparently caused by food additives in the diets of students. The Virginia PTA closes the resolution by encouraging and other PTAs around the country to adopt similar resolutions.Amazing, isn’t it?