PEDIATRICS Vol. 86 No. 2 August 1990, pp. 254-262
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow P3Rs: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when P3Rs are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gans, D. A.
Right arrow Articles by Taylor, S. L
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gans, D. A.
Right arrow Articles by Taylor, S. L

Sucrose and Delinquency: Oral Sucrose Tolerance Test and Nutritional Assessment

Dian A. Gans PhD1, Alfred E. Harper PhD1, Jo-Anne Bachorowski MS1, Joseph P. Newman PhD1, Earl S. Shrago MD1, and Steve L Taylor PhD1

1 From the Departments of Nutritional Sciences, Biochemistry, and Psychology, the Clinical Nutrition Research Center, and the Food Research Institute, University of Wisconsin, Madison

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. Results of the psychological studies described in the accompanying article in this issue support this conclusion.

Key Words: male adolescent • behavior • hypoglycemia • nutrition • oral sucrose tolerance test

Submitted on March 15, 1989
Accepted on August 3, 1990




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Pers Soc Psychol RevHome page
M. T. Gailliot and R. F. Baumeister
The Physiology of Willpower: Linking Blood Glucose to Self-Control
Personality and Social Psychology Review, November 1, 2007; 11(4): 303 - 327.
[Abstract] [PDF]