Sunday, 16 February, 2003, 09:37 GMT
Row over prison diet research
Prisoners became less violent after diet change
The Prison Service has said it will not fund further research into
prison food even though a recent study found that changing inmates'
diets cut violent behaviour by 35%.
The study was carried out at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institute by the
research charity Natural Justice led by Bernard Gesch, a senior
research scientist at Oxford University's physiology department.
In a blind trial, one group of prisoners were given a multi-vitamin
mineral and fatty acid supplement while another group were given dummy
pills.
Among those taking the supplements, violent incidents were reduced by
more then a third.
But in this week's Food Programme on BBC Radio 4, the Prison Service
says that while it has agreed to further studies in two prisons, Warren
Hill and Stoke Heath, it has not accepted the findings of the original
study and will not be putting any money into further research.
The decision has outraged the former chief inspector of prisons, Sir
David Ramsbotham QC who described it as "totally infuriating as well as
being extremely stupid".
Golden opportunity
Sir David Ramsbotham has said the authorities should act
Sir David, a trustee of Natural Justice told the Food Programme that
the Prime Minister, Tony Blair had famously promised to be tough on the
causes of crime and now he was missing a golden opportunity.
He calculates that the small amount of money it would cost to provide
prisoners with nutritional supplements would massively reduce prison
costs and might even go some way to easing the crisis in Britain's
overcrowded jails.
Sir David also believes that the findings of the study could be used to
help deal with delinquent behaviour in schools and the wider community.
He tells the Food Programme that this research might prevent people
going to prison in the first place.
RESEARCHERS FIND PROPER DIET REDUCES ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
British investigation seems to reach the conclusion, that some
offenders
consume diets lacking in essential nutrients.
http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/abstract/181/1/22
"Influence of supplementary vitamins, minerals and essential fatty
acids on
the antisocial behaviour of young adult prisoners
Randomised, placebo-controlled trial
Background There is evidence that offenders consume diets lacking in
essential nutrients and this could adversely affect their behaviour.
Aims To test empirically if physiologically adequate intakes of
vitamins,
minerals and essential fatty acids cause a reduction inantisocial
behaviour.
Method Experimental, double-blind,
placebo-controlled, randomised trial
of nutritional supplements on 231 young adult
prisoners, comparing disciplinary offences before and during
supplementation.
Results Compared with placebos, those receiving the active capsules
committed an average of 26.3% (95% CI 8.3-44.33%) fewer offences
(P=0.03,
two-tailed). Compared to baseline, the effect on those taking active
supplements for a minimum of 2 weeks (n=172) was an average 35.1% (95%
CI
16.3-53.9%) reduction of offences (P<0.001,
two-tailed), whereas placebos remained within standard error.
Conclusions Antisocial behaviour in prisons, including violence, are
reduced by vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids with similar
implications for those eating poor diets in the community."
Who loves ya.
Tom
Jesus Was A Vegetarian! http://jesuswasavegetarian.7h.com
Man Is A Herbivore!
http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/manisaherbivore
DEAD PEOPLE WALKING
http://pages.ivillage.com/ironjustice/deadpeoplewalking