Does omega-3 supplementation reduce aggressive behaviour in adult male prisoners?
Does Omega-3 Supplementation Attenuate Aggressive Behaviour in Adult Male Prisoners: A multi-centre randomised controlled trial of a Broadly Disseminable Strategy
University of Wollongong
600 participants
Apr 16, 2019
Interventional
Conditions
Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether omega-3 supplementation attenuates aggressive behaviours in adult male prisoners who have previously demonstrated aggression within the prison. Prisoners will be randomly assigned to an active or placebo supplementation condition. Measures of institutional aggression and hypothesised associated mental health condition (ADHD) will be collected to assess the impact of omega-3 supplementation. It is hypothesised that prisoners receiving the active (omega-3) supplements will demonstrate reduced aggressive behaviour and reduced ADHD symptoms, compared to prisoners receiving a placebo supplement.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria2
- Inmate Behavioural Observation Scale (IBOS) of 1 or greater.
- Blood omega-3 level of 6% or lower.
Exclusion Criteria3
- Inmate Behavioural Observation Scale (IBOS) of less than 1.
- Inmates on any blood thinning medication.
- Blood omega-3 level higher than 6%.
Interested in this trial?
Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.
Interventions
Inmates will receive 5 capsules (omega-3 or placebo) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays totalling 15 capsules per week. The active and placebo will be randomly assigned to Treatment A and Treatment B. The algal DHA-O capsules are ~1 g with 509.2 mg/capsule DHA/EPA (i.e., DHA 324 mg/ capsule and EPA 185.3 mg/capsule), hence providing a daily dose of 1,091mg omega-3 (694mg DHA and 397mg EPA). The placebo capsules are a corn/soy oil blend which are identical in size and colour. Duration of the intervention is 16 weeks. Monitoring of adherence to the intervention will be by direct observation by the study personnel (the project officer) and for the active group, the change in the level of omega-3 levels in the blood will also be a measure of compliance
Locations(1)
View Full Details on ANZCTR
For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.
ACTRN12618001665224