April 20, 2006

More Salmon, Less Murder?

I know I go on a lot about omega 3 fatty acids as evidenced by prior posts.

Eat salmon and be more agreeable
Fish Oil and Breast Cancer
Salmon as Brain Food
Mom's Diet May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in Daughters
Omega 3 fats feed the human brain and may improve psychiatric conditions as well as visual function
Splendid Omega

Never though, did I think to tout eating salmon to lower the murder rate as the New York Times did this past week in Idea Lab.

Is violent aggression largely a product of poor nutrition?

researchers are studying whether inmates become less violent when put on a diet rich in vitamins and in the fatty acids found in seafood.
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In 2001, Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a senior clinical investigator at the National Institutes of Health, published a study, provocatively titled "Seafood Consumption and Homicide Mortality," that found a correlation between a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids (most often obtained from fish) and lower murder rates.
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Consider, for example, a study conducted by researchers in Finland. They tested prisoners convicted of violent crimes and found that they had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids than ordinary, healthy subjects. Why? Omega-3's foster the growth of neurons in the brain's frontal cortex, the bit of gray matter that controls impulsive behavior. Having enough of these fatty acids may keep violent impulses in check.

Posted by Jill Fallon at April 20, 2006 1:19 PM | Permalink