Diet and Behavior (Child and Adolescent)

With large populations of adolescents imprisoned with limited access to nutritional care and lack of diet required for optimal brain function, Gesch (2013) tested the theory that poor diet may be a modifiable causal factor in antisocial behavior by introducing nutrients in the deficient diets of violent young adult prisoners (aged 18-21 years) and assessing whether it has an impact on behavior. In this double-blind study, the young prisoners were administered either a placebo or a capsule with required daily doses of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Taking the multinutrient intervention capsule significantly reduced the number of offences committed compared to the placebo group, and after 2 weeks of supplementation, even the number of the most serious offences (including violence) dropped by 37%. Since the Dutch Ministry of Justice has also reported a 48% difference in outcomes in their double-blind study, these results can be replicated and suggests that these supplements provide a simple and humane means to help cut down on violent and antisocial behavior.