Our Children: Do Sweets Promote Adult Violence?

Too many sweets for children may promote adult violence. Sound far-fetched? The British researchers who found the link between giving kids daily sweets - candy and chocolate - and violent behavior when the youngsters grow up suggest that the "instant gratification" of treats on demand may teach kids that impulsiveness pays off, and perhaps foster aggression later in life. This was a large study with more than 17,000 participants; data on their health, education, social and economic circumstances and consumption of sweets was collected when the kids were five and 10 years old and later when they were 26, 30, 34 and 42. The study showed that of the participants who had eaten sweets daily as children 69 percent had violent tendencies by the age of 34, while these behaviors were seen in only 42 percent of those who didn't get daily sweets. While the researchers said that their findings need further attention, they suggested that improving youngsters’ diet may enhance their health and make them less prone to aggression. The study was published in the October 2009 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry.