Adolescence: Does good nutrition = good behaviour?

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Neuroscience
• Criminology
• Public Health

Background:

• Adolescents are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system.
• Disaffected youth often have poor dietary habits and limited access to nutritious food.
• Poor diet may be a modifiable factor contributing to antisocial behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of nutrient supplementation on the behavior of young adult prisoners.
• To determine if reinstating missing nutrients in the diet can reduce criminal offenses.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 231 young adult prisoners (18-21 years).
• Participants received either placebo or capsules containing essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids.
• Offense rates were monitored before and during supplementation.

Main Results:

• Supplement recipients committed 26.3% fewer offenses compared to the placebo group.
• Those taking supplements for at least two weeks showed a 37% reduction in serious offenses, including violence.
• Replication studies, including one by the Dutch Ministry of Justice, reported similar significant reductions in offenses.

Conclusions:

• Nutrient supplementation can be a simple, humane, and non-discriminatory method to reduce antisocial behavior and violence.
• Improving diet through supplementation may offer a viable strategy for crime prevention in both institutional and community settings.
• Further replication is needed to confirm these findings and their broad applicability.