Research led by Simon Moore, a senior lecturer in Violence and Society Research at Cardiff University in the U.K., investigated the factors that lead children to commit serious crimes. During his research he found that "kids with the worst problems tend to be impulsive risk takers and that these kids had terrible diets – breakfast was Coke and a bag of chips" for instance.
As Moore was fascinated by the link between diet and children's behavior, he looked further and found a study conducted by the British Cohort Study. This was a long-term survey of 17,000 people born over a one-week period in 1970. This study included evaluations periodically over many different aspects of the children and their growth.
The information collected included what they ate, certain health measures and their socioeconomic status. Moore studied the data for information on the children's diet and their behavior as they grew up. During the study, the children were asked how much candy they consumed at age 10 and at age 34, they were asked about whether they had been convicted of a crime.
So in the findings, the data suggests that regardless of environment, lifestyle influences, economic status, parenting style, or education, it is the consumption and frequency of candy or other sweets in childhood that sets them up for adult violence.
It could also be said that the child develops a learned behavior and receives the ‘instant gratification' by receiving candy. Therefore, not learning to behave and delay the gratification of a reward (candy) could lead the child to become impulsive carrying that trait into adulthood.
A University of Oxford researcher recently published findings stating that prisoners who were given vitamin supplements (presumably getting well-balanced nutrition) showed lower rates of disciplinary events and aggressive outbursts than a control group who were given placebo pills.
Dr. Stephen Schoenthaler has also conducted research at schools and among prison inmates to show this similar correlation between diet and violence. For more information go to this link: http://www.jamisonmedia.com/Stephen-Schoenthaler-Video.html
Howard
has a keen interest in alternative and integrative health methods.
His research has revealed that a person's eating habits and lifestyle
can have a dramatic affect on their health. Howard has extensive
background in video production and has conducted numerous video
interviews with professionals in the alternative health field.
» left by kenny from fall river (28 days 9 hours ago.)
I agree that health and nutrition can contribute to such behavior, but I don't believe in what you said here:
"...So in the findings, the data suggests that regardless of environment, lifestyle influences, economic status, parenting style, or education, it is the consumption and frequency of candy or other sweets in childhood that sets them up for adult violence."
*** "Regardless of...?" I don't see how unhealthy dieting habits by themselves could be "solely" responsible for serious crimes. I could see how bad eating habits in conjunction with bad environment, lifestyle influences, economic status, parenting style, and/or education could be a problem.
*** I once lived with a woman who allowed her son to eat candy and junk food constantly, and I would get all over her about it; reminding her of the aches, pains, and dental bills he would one day accumulate. Obviously at the time I knew nothing about a study linking bad eating habits and crime because if I had I would have used it as more weaponry against her.
*** A typical day for Ryan would be: He'd leave for school in the morning without eating breakfast, eat junk out of the schools vending machines during the day, and then when we would sit down for a good dinner later that night, he would complain and demand McDonald's. She of course would let him have his way, and go get him what he wanted. This would drive me insane!!
*** However, I ran into his Dad recently, and asked how Ryan was, and he told me Ryan had completed welding school, worked in his field, saved some money, and is now in a Florida university earning a Bachelor's degree in film and theater. Not to mention he has no criminal record at all!
*** One thing I will say about Ryan; although moody, he always was a good kid and got excellent grades in school.
Thank you for writing this and will add that, of course, child violence is a new epidemic just as the modern-world cancer of drugs is spreading and destroying people, neighborhoods and families. It doesn’t take a nutritionist or an Einstein. to determine that body chemistry plays a huge role in causing abnormal behavior. Children simply are not getting proper diet, nor constant parental guidance as was once given many years ago. Both parents are most likely working to make ends meet and many areas of rearing a child properly is naturally being neglected, including wholesome meals. Naturally, kids are going to seek substitutes for natural intimacy and I believe bad food is the major culprit of the downfall of our society as the article so brilliantly states. I simply believe that a toxic body is going to cause a toxic mind and alter natural functions. I say to skeptics “DO THE RESEARCH yourself and you will find that we are not meant to alter body chemistry with poor diets, malnutrition, drugs and/or heavy metals and the comment on continual instant gratification for little minds is deadly.” Think of the ripple effect all of this can cause.
A great article and it deserved an award. Blessings! Suzy
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