Fizzy drinks linked to aggression

[Ben]

Some of you might find the following article of interest. Particularly if you have children, grandchildren, or you are a teen or you just behave like a child!

In all seriousness this looks like a very interesting article that links consumption on carbonated non-diet softdrinks, video game playing with aggression.

Consumption of more than five cans of non-diet carbonated drinks a week was associated with behaviour that included carrying weapons and violent assaults.

The US researchers do not yet know if the link is causal, but have not ruled this out..

...Intake level was measured in cans. Up to four cans was considered "low", and five or more "high". Just under one in three pupils fell into the "high" category, some drinking more than two or three cans a day.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet ... z1blokStvS

So, what do you think?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Ben,

So, what do you think?

I have doubts over the direction of the causality.

If someone drinks a lot of sugary soft-drink, they are likely to either have little regard for their well-being, or simply be dull.

It is surprising then that such people, might be "associated with behaviour that included carrying weapons and violent assaults", given the Buddha's teachings on kamma and different kinds of individuals?

Delusion, greed and aversion all sit aside one another.

Metta,
Retro.

[Ben]

For sure.
I think the link between excessive video game playing amongst children and teens and anti-social and violent behaviour is well documented. What is interesting, if not that surprising, is the role of sugary and caffeinated soft drinks also have on behaviour in children and teens.
kind regards,

Ben

[Kim O'Hara]

From the ABC report on the same study:

Professor Mike Daub, director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute, said at this stage the only definite conclusion to be drawn from the study was the link between poor diet and economic disadvantage.
"A lot of young people do drink soft drinks, and young people that are disadvantaged and more likely to be involved in violence, probably also have a poorer diet," he said.
"So I think it's a marker, it's primarily telling us that people who are more likely to be violent come from backgrounds where their overall diet isn't very good."

Sounds right to me, though the sugar and caffeine certainly wouldn't help anyone maintain equanimity.

Kim

[manas]

Hi Ben,
I question who funded the research...because it sounds as though they are implying that the 'diet' versions are in some way safer, when the very opposite is true. Aspartame is neurotoxic. It almost didn't get past the FDA, but Rumsfeld pushed it through. Seriously, refined sugar is bad for you, but at least the body knows what the heck it is...As for aspartame, I wouldn't even give it to a dog, let alone a child. (I love dogs, btw - no denigration of dogs intended!)

[Ben]

Greetings Manasikara,
The purported health effects of aspartame is a subject for another thread. And, personally, I won't be convinced of any adverse health effects unless you can produce published peer-reviewed papers and/or meta-study. But again, aspartame's health effects are subject for another thread.

As for who funded the research regardng the original article - I have no idea and I don't think its a particularly relevant question. Having worked in the health services sector, large companies, inc. pharmaceutical companies fund science research all the time - it doesn't mean that they exert pressure on the researchers to produce favourable results. If you feel inclined, feel free to contact the Journal of Injury Prevention or the authors directly:
http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content ... 7.abstract
kind regards,

Ben

[Jhana4]

I have no doubt this is true. Experts and other people have been saying as much for decades. On the other hand I can't list all of the people who I've had unpleasant interactions with because they were jacked up on too much coffee.

[Kim O'Hara]

I have no doubt this is true. Experts and other people have been saying as much for decades. On the other hand I can't list all of the people who I've had unpleasant interactions with because they were jacked up on too much coffee.

... or beer.



Kim

[daverupa]

Point of clarification:

I think the link between excessive video game playing amongst children and teens and anti-social and violent behaviour is well documented.

This is wholly incorrect; see this link.

[Ben]

Point of clarification:

I think the link between excessive video game playing amongst children and teens and anti-social and violent behaviour is well documented.

This is wholly incorrect; see this link.

Are you serious?

[daverupa]

Point of clarification:

I think the link between excessive video game playing amongst children and teens and anti-social and violent behaviour is well documented.

This is wholly incorrect; see this link.

Are you serious?

PBS reporting via an MIT research coordinator... yeah I must be joking, sorry to bother.

Here's another such joke.

[Ben]

Well at least the last article was in a relevant discipline. But its just one article and on the basis of an abstract...I'm not convinced.

[daverupa]

This research indicates physiological response decoupled from a hostility response. In other words, agitation and arousal occur as a result of such games, but the connection to hostility is far from clear.

This research indicates that video games affect those already beset by anger more than those who were not angry.

I could go on, but it's fairly off-topic. It's simply much more complex than the phrase "well-documented" suggests.



From the article in the OP:

The US researchers do not yet know if the link is causal

Yeah. Did you know a majority of criminals reported eating bread during the 24 hours preceding their crimes? If this was causal, bread increases criminal activity. But it's not causal.

The article is a non-report, it's sensationalism.

[m0rl0ck]

So, what do you think?

Sounds ridiculous. I would be really interested in finding out who funded this "research".
My guess would be the non-fizzy drink lobby

EDIT: you know on second thot, fizzy drinks are loaded with sugar, which is guaranteed to produce mood swings, or aspartame which can have disasterous neurological effects. Not to mention the effects of the caffine, which is being consumed in greater quantities in energy drinks. There may actually be something to this. Still sounds suspect to me tho.

[robertk]

reminds me of that study that found heavily tattoed people were more likely to have motorbike accidents.

[Ytrog]

I drink fizzy drinks (cola mostly, with sugar as I can't stand the taste of aspartame) and game quite a lot. According to some above posts I should be very aggressive. Believe me: I'm not

[Yana]

In all seriousness this looks like a very interesting article that links consumption on carbonated non-diet softdrinks, video game playing with aggression.

So, what do you think?

I Absolutely Agree..i get into serious tantrums over Xbox Games..like ...it's so not funny somebody has to literally put a mirror in my face so i can come to the realization that i am no longer a child..

i usually consume junk food and soft drinks while i am it.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

reminds me of that study that found heavily tattoed people were more likely to have motorbike accidents.

It's a bit like that, isn't it?

Metta,
Retro.