The Influence of Ultra-Processed Foods on Violent Behavior: A Critical Analysis
Could food influence our behavior? While violence is often explained from a social or psychological perspective, science is starting to look at dietary habits. Ultra-processed foods, ubiquitous in modern diets, alter essential brain functions for emotional regulation. Several studies suggest that what we eat could directly affect our mental stability and predispose us to more impulsive or aggressive behaviors.
The brain also feeds
It goes deeper than previously thought. Diets rich in ultra-processed foods—with an excess of sugars, trans fats, and additives—cause inflammation and alter the gut microbiota, a key ecosystem for the production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The American Journal of Psychiatry reported that poor nutrient intake elevates inflammatory markers, negatively affecting mental health. In turn, poor diet deteriorates brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex, responsible for self-control and decision-making. The effects are reflected in increased impulsivity and irritability. While they do not generate violence on their own, they do create a more favorable environment for aggressive reactions, especially in contexts of emotional or social vulnerability.
The evidence: from teenagers to prisoners
Studies conducted in Spain showed that teenagers with higher consumption of ultra-processed foods had more anxiety, attention problems, and disruptive behaviors. Although a direct causality is not established, researchers highlight a clear relationship between diet and emotional self-regulation. Experimental results were most significant in prison environments. In a UK trial, young prisoners who received nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids) committed 26% fewer infractions than those who took a placebo. Among those who continued the treatment for more than two weeks, infractions decreased by 35%. A subsequent study in the Netherlands replicated these results, confirming that proper nutrition can enhance cognitive function. The hypothesis is clear: a better brain function improves emotional self-regulation.
The invisible addiction of ultra-processed foods
Ultra-processed foods are designed to be hyperpalatable, combining fats, sugars, and additives that activate the brain’s reward circuits, similar to addictive drugs. This mechanism promotes compulsive consumption and loss of control, which can amplify irritability and frustration. Constant exposure to these foods strengthens dependency patterns, creating a cycle where anxiety drives eating and food, in turn, reinforces anxiety.
If food influences emotional regulation, improving the diet could be a preventive strategy against violence and behavioral disorders. Some pilot programs in vulnerable prisons and schools already integrate nutritional education to strengthen physical and mental well-being. It is not about simplifying violence to a dietary issue, but ignoring its biological role would be a mistake. Nutrition can modulate brain chemistry as much as the social or emotional environment.
The evidence points to a disturbing conclusion: a society could be altering its own collective capacity for self-control. In a world where haste, stress, and poor nutrition prevail, perhaps part of everyday violence does not originate on the street… but on the plate.
