Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Sucrose and delinquent behavior: coincidence or consequence?

D A Gans1

  • 1University of Hawaii/Manoa, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Honolulu, HI 96822.

Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
|January 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Simple sugar consumption does not cause violent behavior. While some hyperactive children may react to sucrose, most studies show no link between sugar intake and hyperactivity or delinquency.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Biochemical measures of thiamine deficiency.

The American journal of clinical nutrition·1997
Same author

Residues of chlorinated pesticides in processed foods imported into Hawaii from western Pacific Rim countries.

Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology·1994
Same author

Three-day dietary intake of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescent males.

Journal of the American College of Nutrition·1992
Same author

Thiamin status of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescent males: dietary intake and thiamin pyrophosphate response.

The American journal of clinical nutrition·1991
Same author

Sucrose and delinquency: oral sucrose tolerance test and nutritional assessment.

Pediatrics·1990
Same author

Sucrose and delinquency: behavioral assessment.

Pediatrics·1990

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral science
  • Nutritional science
  • Forensic psychology

Background:

  • Theories linking simple sugar intake to violent and delinquent behavior have been proposed.
  • These theories often rely on anecdotal evidence, misinterpretations, or flawed data analysis.
  • Existing scientific literature does not substantiate these claims.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate the evidence connecting simple sugar consumption with violent and delinquent behavior.
  • To examine the impact of sucrose on hyperkinetic behavior in children.
  • To explore potential links between carbohydrate metabolism anomalies and antisocial behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature, including studies on children, hyperactive individuals, and incarcerated delinquents.
  • Analysis of controlled studies investigating sucrose challenges in children.
  • Examination of emerging evidence on carbohydrate metabolism and antisocial behavior.

Main Results:

  • Most controlled studies show no convincing evidence that sucrose ingestion worsens hyperkinetic behavior in children.
  • While some hyperactive children may show adverse reactions to sucrose, this is not a widespread phenomenon.
  • Emerging evidence suggests anomalies in carbohydrate metabolism might relate to antisocial behavior, but not that sugar consumption causes it.

Conclusions:

  • Claims linking simple sugar consumption to violent or delinquent behavior are unsubstantiated.
  • There is no evidence that consuming sucrose causes violent behavior.
  • Ingesting simple carbohydrates may have beneficial effects on behavior in certain subgroups, such as adolescent males.

Related Experiment Videos