A new study has found that a healthy diet in children – including increased consumption of fish, vegetables, red meat, liver, legumes, and nuts – can reduce their violent and aggressive behavior by up to 82%.
According to the British newspaper The TelegraphThe study, based on an analysis of several previous studies examining the link between diet and children's behavior, also indicates that reducing the consumption of processed foods and adding regular food supplements can reduce aggression by 38%.
Conducted by the British charity YEF (Youth Endowment Fund) – which is supported by the government and advises ministers on policies to combat violence – the study describes improving child nutrition as a low-cost but potentially highly effective measure to reduce violent crime.
Researchers recommend that parents promote a fresh and balanced diet, encouraging their children to consume fish, red meat, vegetables, nuts and nutritional supplements, as a concrete strategy to reduce disruptive behaviors.
Key nutrients for the brain
Omega-3s, found in oily fish such as salmon and sardines,
Iron, found in oysters, red meats, liver, legumes, broccoli and green leafy vegetables,
Zinc, found in seafood, legumes, nuts, and meat,
…improve cognition, memory, mood and support brain development and healthy immune system function.
The study authors state that "this positive impact on brain development and function makes children more balanced, positive, and less prone to aggression and violence."
Another study, conducted last January, had already highlighted that aggressive behavior could be linked to poor diet, as what we eat influences our brain chemistry.
Omega-3 supplementation has also been shown to help keep calm and reduce aggression by 28%.
