Thursday, October 1, 2009

Candy today, Crime tomorrow

Daily sweets "linked to violence"
Children who eat sweets and chocolate every day are more likely to be violent as adults, according to UK researchers. The Cardiff University study involving 17,500 people is the first into effects of childhood diet on adult violence.

It found 10-year-olds who ate sweets daily were significantly more likely to have a violent conviction by age 34. Researchers suggested they had not learned to delay gratification, but other experts said already "difficult" children might be given [inadvertently "rewarded" with] more sweets. The researchers looked at data on around 17,500 people and found that 69% of the participants who were violent at the age of 34 had eaten sweets and chocolate nearly every day during childhood, compared to 42% who were non-violent.
Delinquents
This link between confectionery consumption and later aggression remained even after controlling for other factors such as parenting behavior, the area where the child lived, not having educational qualifications after the age of 16, and whether they had access to a car when they were 34. More>>

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