When you buy M&M’s, you probably enjoy the bright colors of those yummy chocolates, right? Well those colors could be a thing of the past! Mars, the company that makes M&M’s, will stop using artificial (人造的) colors in their products within the next five years.

Mars says that it’s because most people want them to do so. But in the past different types of these dyes (染料)stopped being allowed. People worried that they might have caused health problems like trouble sleeping, anxiety and even cancer.

However, are the artificial colors that are still used today bad for humans to eat or drink? The most common question is whether it affects kids’ behavior, but it’s hard to say for sure.

A British study, called the Southampton Study, made an experiment. They gave one group of 8-to 9-year-old children a drink with food coloring and the other group with none. They found the kids that drank the food coloring showed hyperactivity (活动过度). Some people believe that means it is a cause of Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD,注意力缺陷多动障碍).

But the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which checks the artificial colors to make sure they are safe, doesn’t think there’s enough proof yet. They say that food coloring doesn’t necessarily cause these behavioral problems. It just affects some children more who already have hyperactivity problems.

“Food dyes are added for their color to make foods fun,” said Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “However, they have no real health purpose.”

Maybe since they aren’t doing anything good for us, more foods should not have the dyes anyways. But it will cost companies like Mars a lot of money to get rid of the colors while keeping people interested in their products.

Hi, dear boys and girls! Do you know how to be a healthy kid? Here are some rules you should follow.

First, eat different foods, especially fruit and vegetables. You may have a favorite food, but you'd better eat something different, if you eat different foods, you will probably get more nutrients(营养物质) your body needs.

Second, drink water and milk as often as possible. When you're really thirsty, cold water is the No. l choice. Milk is a great drink that can give you more calcium(钙) your body needs to grow strong bones(骨头).

Third, listen to your body. How do you feel when you are full? When you are eating, notice how your body feels and when your stomach feels comfortably full. Eating too much will not make you feel comfortable and make you fat.

Fourth, limit(限制) screen time. Screen time is the time you watch TV, DVDs and videos, or using computers. It is good to take more exercise, such as basketball, bike riding and swimming. You can't watch TV for more than two hours a day.

Fifth, be active. One thing you'd like to do as a kid is to find out which activity you like best. Find ways to be active every day.

Follow these rules and you can be a healthy kid.

Nancy is 1.45 meters tall, but she is over 140 pounds. She thinks she is too fat and she decides (决定) to get thinner (更瘦). Here is her plan for it.