Three-day dietary intake of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescent males.

We collected 3-day dietary intake information from both incarcerated (n = 137) and nonincarcerated (n = 42) adolescent males to provide an objective assessment of diets of residents of a juvenile correctional facility. Average daily intake of energy, protein, 13 indicator micronutrients and of macronutrients as percent of energy were calculated. Average intakes of the total group of adolescents (n = 179) were greater than 90% of the 1980 recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for energy, protein, and 10 micronutrients. There were no statistically significant differences between black (n = 63) and white (n = 63) incarcerated subgroups and white (n = 41) nonincarcerated subjects on average measures of energy, protein, macronutrients as percent of energy, and seven micronutrients. Cumulative intakes (as a proportion of the 1980 RDA) of nonincarcerated subjects and at least one group of incarcerated subjects were significantly different for vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, iron, sodium, and thiamin. However, average intakes of vitamin C, sodium, and iron by all groups exceeded the RDA. Overall, the total group of adolescents did not appear to be at significant nutritional risk. Folate, copper, and magnesium intakes were consistently below RDA in all groups. We suggest that these findings are not indicative of nutritional inadequacy but are, rather, cues that some RDAs may be inappropriately high.

Thiamin status of incarcerated and nonincarcerated adolescent males: dietary intake and thiamin pyrophosphate response.

We measured thiamin status in 137 incarcerated and 42 nonincarcerated adolescent males by use of both dietary intake data and a standard biochemical assay, thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) response. Average thiamin intake of the total group was greater than 120% of the age-specific recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Ninety-two percent of incarcerated subjects and 93% of nonincarcerated subjects were consuming greater than or equal to 70% of RDA. Although average daily thiamin intake of nonincarcerated subjects was significantly higher than that of incarcerated subjects, both groups appeared to be at minimal risk for marginal thiamin status. Comparison of TPP response values indicated that there was no significant difference between groups. However, approximately 24% of the total population appeared to have less than adequate RBC thiamin on the basis of current standards for TPP response. Neither dietary intake nor reported previous alcohol intake was correlated with TPP response. These discrepant findings raise questions about the usefulness of the TPP response as the sole indicator of marginal thiamin status.

Sucrose and delinquent behavior: coincidence or consequence?

Over the past decade, a number of theories have appeared that are attempts to relate consumption of simple sugars to violent or delinquent behavior. Such claims have been based mainly on anecdotal reports, misinterpretations of scientific literature, or flawed interpretation of questionable data. Thus, these claims remain unsubstantiated. There are data that suggest that a very few individual hyperactive children may respond adversely to a sucrose challenge, but most carefully designed and controlled studies with children offer no convincing evidence that sucrose ingestion exacerbates hyperkinetic behavior. While provocative evidence is beginning to emerge from studies of incarcerated juvenile delinquents, as well as from studies of adult criminals habitually violent under the influence of alcohol, that anomalies in carbohydrate metabolism may in some way be related to expression of antisocial behavior, there is no evidence to suggest that consuming sucrose causes violent behavior. On the contrary, ingestion of foods that contain simple carbohydrates may elicit beneficial responses, at least in behavioral subgroups of adolescent males.

Sucrose and delinquency: behavioral assessment.

In this study, a double-blind challenge design was used to evaluate the hypothesis that sucrose ingestion may compromise the behavioral performance of juvenile delinquents. Subjects were 58 white delinquents, 57 black delinquents, and 39 white nondelinquents. The behavioral assessment included tasks that are relevant to delinquency and that might be expected to be disrupted following sucrose ingestion. The results provide no evidence that sucrose ingestion impairs the performance of juvenile delinquents. In fact, the results of several analyses indicated that the sucrose breakfast was associated with improved performance. In additional analyses the effect of sucrose on particular subgroups of juvenile delinquents was evaluated. Statistical interactions indicated that the performance of delinquents rated as more behaviorally disturbed benefited from sucrose ingestion, whereas those delinquents with less pronounced behavior problems tended to show impaired performance following a sucrose-loaded breakfast. These results indicate that simple statements regarding the effects of sucrose ingestion on behavior are likely to be misleading and highlight the need to consider individual difference variables when investigating the effects of sucrose on juvenile delinquents.

Sucrose and delinquency: oral sucrose tolerance test and nutritional assessment.

Claims that juvenile delinquency may be associated with reactive hypoglycemia or nutritional deficiencies have received widespread attention but little objective evaluation. To assess the validity of these claims, nutritional and psychological indices of juvenile delinquents have been measured. Serum glucose and insulin profiles during an oral sucrose tolerance test were measured in 137 delinquent and 41 nondelinquent male adolescents aged 14 to 19. In addition, nutritional status of both populations was assessed by anthropometry (height, weight, arm circumference, triceps skin fold) and biochemical measures (hematocrit, red-blood cell thiamin, and serum copper, ferritin, and zinc). Delinquent subjects had slightly but significantly lower serum glucose values at four of six time points (fasting, 60 minutes, 120 minutes, 180 minutes) and higher serum insulin values at one time point (30 minutes) compared with nondelinquent subjects. Changes in glucose from fasting levels indicate that these subjects were regulating serum glucose adequately, but doing so at lower values; changes in insulin from fasting levels indicate that black delinquents initially secreted more insulin than either white subject group. There were no significant associations between excursions in serum glucose or insulin and any adrenergic signs or symptoms of low blood glucose levels. Nutritional status of incarcerated delinquents did not differ from that of nonincarcerated subjects on most measures. Although the significantly lower serum glucose levels and higher serum insulin levels are intriguing, no support is offered by results of this study for allegations that sucrose ingestion causes reactive hypoglycemia in juvenile delinquents or that delinquent male adolescents are at greater risk nutritionally than male adolescents of the same age who are not delinquent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)