MSNBC.com Runs Erroneous Feeling Article Linking Candy to Violence

Hide that Halloween candy, or you may have a murderer on your hands.

A new study shows that kids who ate a lot of sweets as children are more likely to be violent as adults.

MSNBC.com recently posted an article entitled ‘Candy-Gobbling Kids May Turn Violent as Adults.’

Toss out that Halloween candy! Panic ensues! I can hear the newest trial defense now: “I was given Reese’s as a child, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.”

Hardly. This is another one of those articles that takes a tiny finding and blows it out of proportion- and then by the end takes a different side, making you feel stupid for buying into it.

According to MSNBC.com, British experts studied more than 17,000 children born in 1970 for about four decades. Of the children who ate candies or chocolates daily at age 10, 69 percent were later arrested for a violent offense by the age of 34. Of those who didn’t have any violent clashes, 42 percent ate sweets daily.

So a little over half of the kids that ate candy daily were arrested for violence later in life. Of the kids that didn’t get arrested, about half of those ate candy everyday, too. So about half and half. Compelling evidence.

What kid doesn’t eat candy daily at age 10?

The scientists claim they tried to control as many factors as possible, including parenting situations and socio-economic background, but I really doubt candy is the common link.

I would like to know out of 17,000 children, how many are arrested for violent crimes by age 34 regardless of how much candy they ate.

Wondering what candy at age 10 has to do with violent crime at age 34? Moore, one of the scientists handling the research claims,”parents who consistently bribe their children into good behavior with candies and chocolates could be doing harm. That might prevent kids from learning how to defer gratification, leading to impulsive behavior and violence.”

I think that’s more of a parenting issue than the actual candy itself. Science has proven that better nutrition leads to better behavior, but this is a stretch. I’m going to need a lot more proof before I start linking Tootsie Rolls to bar fights years later.

The scientists feel the same way.  MSNBC.com closes their article with, “This is an incredibly complex area,” Moore said. “It’s not fair to blame it on the candy.”

Then how about we not report on it like it is fact, MSNBC?