Sugar, sweet suicide—part I

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, July, 2003 by Gary Null

Delinquency

Sugar indulgence has a most serious consequence for society, as fascinating research connecting sugar to antisocial behavior shows. Schoenthaler conducted several long-term, double-blind, well-controlled studies on the subject and consistently found a strong correlation between food and criminal activity. In one of his studies of 68 young criminals, antisocial acts diminished by 80% within seven months after changing the diet. A follow-up study of 276 children had one group stay on junk food diet and another group switch to healthy foods. The difference in antisocial acts between the two groups was almost 50%. The worst class of offenses showed the most dramatic reduction: assault fell by 82%, theft by 77%. The delinquents guilty of the most serious crimes (assault, rape, robbery, and vandalism) benefited the most. All institutions that cooperated in these studies decided to maintain the new dietary program. (64)

Schoenthaler also worked with the Los Angeles Probation Department's Diet-Behavior Program and observed 1,382 incarcerated delinquents at three juvenile detention halls. They showed a 44% drop in antisocial behavior on a low sucrose diet. The greatest reductions were seen in repeated offenders (86%), narcotics offenders (72%), rape offenders (62%), burglars (59%), murderers (47%) and assault offenders (43%). The second part of the study followed 289 juvenile delinquents at three juvenile rehabilitation camps. They exhibited a 54% reduction in antisocial behavior after sugar consumption was reduced. (65)

In the Alabama Diet Behavior study, Schoenthaler observed 488 incarcerated delinquents for 22 months to see if their rate of antisocial behavior after reducing sugar would drop as previous studies had shown. The decline in antisocial behavior ranged from a low 17% to a high of 53%, with an average of 45%, depending upon gender, race, and type of offender. (66)

In yet another investigation, Schoenthaler followed 3,399 incarcerated juveniles on a "junk food-free" diet during a 24-month comparison study (12 months before diet change and 12 months following) in Northern California. The results showed a 100% reduction in suicide attempts, a 75% decrease in the use of restraints to prevent self-injury, a 42% lowering of disruptive behavior, and a 25% drop in assaults and physical fights. (67)

Mrs. Reed, a probation officer in Ohio observed the diet-behavior connection when she gave her clients a questionnaire regarding their diet and then instructed them to restrict their choices to lean meat, fresh and frozen fruit, fruit juices, vegetables, herb teas, milk, nuts, seeds, and cold-pressed oils, They were strictly forbidden white sugar, white flour (and any product made with either, such as pastries), soda pop and cola, processed foods, and alcohol.

Two years later, the probation department, recognizing the effects of these dietary changes, was sending its worst cases to Mrs. Reed, with an injunction from the court in some cases to choose "jail or diet." Out of 252 prisoners she had put on her diet, which included vitamin supplements, none of those who stayed on the diet had been back in court. The physical and mental improvements of her clients were sometimes dramatic. (68)