Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33934704›Full record

ArticleTrials2021

The effect of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on aggressive behaviour in adult male prisoners: a structured study protocol for a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial and translation into policy and practice.

Barbara J Meyer, Mitchell K Byrne, Colin H Cortie, Natalie Parletta, Alison Jones, Simon Eckermann, Tony Butler, David Greenberg, Marijka Batterham, Francesca Fernandez and 6 more

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 40% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Nutritional Criminology: Why the Emerging Research on Ultra-Processed Food Matters to Health and Justice.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.

Barbara J MeyerSchool of Medicine, Lipid Research Centre, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong and Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia. bmeyer@uow.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7962-7890
Mitchell K ByrneSchool of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Colin H CortieSchool of Medicine, Lipid Research Centre, Molecular Horizons, University of Wollongong and Illawarra Health & Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Natalie ParlettaCentre for Population Health Research, University of South Australia, GPO Box 2471, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia.
Alison JonesDVC (Health and Communities), University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Simon EckermannAustralian Health Services Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Tony ButlerKirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
David GreenbergSchool of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Marijka BatterhamSchool of Mathematics & Applied Statistics, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Francesca FernandezSchool of Health and Behavioural Science, Australian Catholic University, Banyo, QLD, 4014, Australia.
Peter W SchofieldSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, 2300, Australia.
Pia C WinbergVenus Shell Systems, PO Box 2149, Bomaderry, NSW, 2541, Australia.
Kate BowlesSchool of the Arts, English and Media, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia.
Jean DallyCorrective Services NSW, 20 Lee St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Anne-Maria MartinCorrective Services NSW, 20 Lee St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Luke GrantCorrective Services NSW, 20 Lee St, Haymarket, NSW, 2000, Australia.
University of Wollongong · AUUNSW Sydney · AUAustralian Catholic University · AUUniversity of Newcastle Australia · AUUniversity of South Australia · AU

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council GNT1113396
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInterventions to better manage aggressive behaviour and reduce recidivism are a primary concern for corrective services. Nutritional interventions to correct prisoner behaviour have been largely overlooked in the literature. Emerging evidence suggests that dietary intake influences aggressive behaviours and that nutritional supplementation with omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) could attenuate both the severity and frequency of aggressive behaviour.

methodsAdult male prisoners who have a history of aggressive behaviour (n = 600) will be recruited from at least 6 Correctional Centres and randomised to receive either n-3 LCPUFA or placebo supplementation for a 16-week duration. Treatment will be with either 1 g/day of n-3 LCPUFA (694 mg DHA and 397 mg EPA) or placebo capsules, which are a corn/soy oil blend and are identical in size and colour. The primary outcome measure is the Inmate Behavioural Observation Scale (IBOS): an objective measure of aggressive behaviour. Secondary outcome measures include questionnaires (including aggression, attention deficit disorder, impulsivity, depression/anxiety/stress scales), engagement in programmes, recidivism and quality of life. Baseline and post-intervention assessments include the IBOS, questionnaires and blood to measure the levels of n-3 LCPUFA. DISCUSSION: To conclusively test the potential that increasing n-3 LCPUFA intakes can improve rates of prisoner aggression and associated mental health and violence-related social system management costs, we propose an adequately powered multi-centre, double-blind, randomised controlled trial, examining the effects of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation on aggressive behaviour in adult male prisoners. If successful, this study will inform prisoner policy with respect to nutrition and by inference contribute to a broader community approach to preventative mental health practices.

trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12618001665224 . Registered on 10 October 2018.

Indexed as

Fatty Acids, Omega-3PrisonersAdultAggressionAustraliaDietary SupplementsDouble-Blind MethodHumansMaleMulticenter Studies as TopicPolicyQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicFatty Acids, Omega-3Aggressive behaviourAttention deficit disorderCorrectional centresIncarceratedInmateJailsMental healthOmega-3PrisonerViolence

Identifiers

PMID33934704
PMCPMC8088826
OpenAlexW3157699500

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.