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Expert criticises youth prison diets

1 min read Youth Justice
The government is ignoring growing links between good diet and reduced rates of violent behaviour by failing to feed young offenders properly, a leading expert on nutrition has claimed.

Bernard Gesch, a senior scientist at Oxford University, told CYP Now that despite studies providing evidence of a link between the effect of certain foods and supplements on the brain, changes to the current system have not been made.

His criticism comes as it emerged last week that only one young offender institution (YOI) employs a nutritionist. Answering a Parliamentary question, justice minister Maria Eagle revealed a nutritionist is only employed at Huntercombe YOI in Henley-on-Thames.

A separate response by Eagle laid bare the difference in weekly spend per head on food across YOIs. The average weekly food cost at Feltham YOI and Werrington YOI came to £22.48 - some £360-a-year more than the lowest spenders on food, Downview YOI in Surrey at £15.54 a week.

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