Junk food not only lacks nutrition but may also make you irritable and prone to violent behavior! According to a report in the Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao on March 12, scientists at the University of Oxford in the UK have found that a long-term diet of junk food may increase violent behavior.
The Oxford University scientists studied 1,000 males aged 16-21 from three juvenile correctional institutions in England and Scotland. They divided the participants into two groups: one group took long-term vitamin and nutritional supplements, while the other group consumed a long-term diet of junk food, including large packs of fried potato chips and high-calorie industrially processed foods. They were then tracked for one year. Currently, the study has shown that people who eat junk food are more willing to use violence to solve problems and have worse tempers, but specific data has not yet been released. Scientists explained that when the brain is severely deficient in essential nutrients, especially in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important components of brain neurons, the brain loses flexibility, has difficulty concentrating, self-control is impaired, and violent tendencies increase. Junk food has a simple nutritional composition, and long-term consumption can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Previously, British scientists had conducted an experiment on 231 criminals and found that during their incarceration, criminals who took nutritional supplements had significantly less violent emotions than usual. John Stein, a professor at the University of Oxford, said that the research shows that improving diet can stabilize a person's mood and also improve their overall health.