<p>You are what you eat right? I guess that would probably apply with how internal physiological responses to food consumption may result in various behaviours.</p>

<p>According to Flora and Polenick (2013), there are some counter-intuitive evidence about sugar and its effects on human behaviour:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"To this point, what is known about the effects of sugar consumption on
  human  behavior and performance is that sugar consumption, even in
  high amounts, does not  contribute to hyperactivity, inattention,
  juvenile delinquency, reductions in cognitive  performance, or other
  behavior problems in children or adults. Instead, a high level of 
  glucose, or sugar, consumption actually improves athletic, academic,
  and cognitive  performance, and may enhance self-control. Sugar
  consumption may reduce aggressive  behavior, and sugar consumed during
  breakfast and in afternoon snacks improves  performance during a wide
  range of activities."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Notably, they indicate that sugar can reduce aggression in both children and adults and implied aggressive behaviour:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Just as Bachorowski et al. (1990) observed improved behavior of
  juvenile delinquents  after they consumed a sugar-filled breakfast,
  research suggests that sugar consumption  may reduce aggressive
  behavior in adults, as well as in children. Benton and Owens (1993) 
  found that, compared to undergraduate participants who consumed a
  placebo non-sugar  beverage, participants who consumed a sugar
  beverage were less likely to show aggression,  use profanity, or bang
  on the computer while playing a frustrating and intentionally 
  impossible computer game."</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T14:15:20.020Z
2013-09-25T14:15:20.020Z
coeus
<p>Sugar can induce addiction based on mesolimbic dopamine...
<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714381/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714381/</a></p>

<p>That is the main effect on behavior...</p>

<p>Also sugar intake will have efects on insulin and vice versa:
<a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02342828" rel="nofollow">http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02342828</a></p>

<p>So answer is yes... it is possible that we act differently, especially after long exposure to that food.</p>

<p>In addition the addiction to sugar can induce impulsive behavior by weaknes of prefrontal lobe...
<a href="http://books.google.hr/books?id=OwKOpU6rjMsC&amp;pg=PT11&amp;lpg=PT11&amp;dq=sugar+neuroimaging+impulsive+behavior&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=AIXOZz77uE&amp;sig=Fa9iwmlhgoRMQuKqXQirOw7ZzH8&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=di9DUq2SJaeg4gT95YCQCQ&amp;ved=0CDwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&amp;q=sugar%20neuroimaging%20impulsive%20behavior&amp;f=false" rel="nofollow">http://books.google.hr/books?id=OwKOpU6rjMsC&amp;pg=PT11&amp;lpg=PT11&amp;dq=sugar+neuroimaging+impulsive+behavior&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=AIXOZz77uE&amp;sig=Fa9iwmlhgoRMQuKqXQirOw7ZzH8&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=di9DUq2SJaeg4gT95YCQCQ&amp;ved=0CDwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&amp;q=sugar%20neuroimaging%20impulsive%20behavior&amp;f=false</a></p>

<p>and also sugar can cause obesity in long term...
<a href="http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/40323/InTech-Food_addiction_obesity_and_neuroimaging.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/40323/InTech-Food_addiction_obesity_and_neuroimaging.pdf</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T18:56:11.933Z
2013-09-25T18:56:11.933Z
ICanFeelIt
<p>I feel that this question is vague. Obviously sugar-seeking behaviour abates after significant consumption of sugar due to satiation. Therefore, the answer to the question is categorically 'yes'.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T23:19:24.363Z
It could be. I trust the author was being deliberately broad.
coeus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-25T22:37:26.847Z
2013-09-25T22:37:26.847Z
Chris L. Barnes
<p>In physical terms, sugar has a great influence: increases energy in our body. But does it influence our behaviour? Is it possible that we act differently because of high amount of consumed sugar?</p>

<cognitive-psychology><addiction>
Does sugar change our short-term behaviour?
Zoltán Schmidt
# Does sugar change our short-term behaviour?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-24)

In physical terms, sugar has a great influence: increases energy in our body. But does it influence our behaviour? Is it possible that we act differently because of high amount of consumed sugar?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, addiction


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2013-09-25. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

You are what you eat right? I guess that would probably apply with how internal physiological responses to food consumption may result in various behaviours.

According to Flora and Polenick (2013), there are some counter-intuitive evidence about sugar and its effects on human behaviour:

> "To this point, what is known about the effects of sugar consumption on
> human behavior and performance is that sugar consumption, even in
> high amounts, does not contribute to hyperactivity, inattention,
> juvenile delinquency, reductions in cognitive performance, or other
> behavior problems in children or adults. Instead, a high level of
> glucose, or sugar, consumption actually improves athletic, academic,
> and cognitive performance, and may enhance self-control. Sugar
> consumption may reduce aggressive behavior, and sugar consumed during
> breakfast and in afternoon snacks improves performance during a wide
> range of activities."

Notably, they indicate that sugar can reduce aggression in both children and adults and implied aggressive behaviour:

> "Just as Bachorowski et al. (1990) observed improved behavior of
> juvenile delinquents after they consumed a sugar-filled breakfast,
> research suggests that sugar consumption may reduce aggressive
> behavior in adults, as well as in children. Benton and Owens (1993)
> found that, compared to undergraduate participants who consumed a
> placebo non-sugar beverage, participants who consumed a sugar
> beverage were less likely to show aggression, use profanity, or bang
> on the computer while playing a frustrating and intentionally
> impossible computer game."


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2013-09-25. Score: 1

Sugar can induce addiction based on mesolimbic dopamine...
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2714381/>

That is the main effect on behavior...

Also sugar intake will have efects on insulin and vice versa:
<http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF02342828>

So answer is yes... it is possible that we act differently, especially after long exposure to that food.

In addition the addiction to sugar can induce impulsive behavior by weaknes of prefrontal lobe...
<http://books.google.hr/books?id=OwKOpU6rjMsC&pg=PT11&lpg=PT11&dq=sugar+neuroimaging+impulsive+behavior&source=bl&ots=AIXOZz77uE&sig=Fa9iwmlhgoRMQuKqXQirOw7ZzH8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=di9DUq2SJaeg4gT95YCQCQ&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=sugar%20neuroimaging%20impulsive%20behavior&f=false>

and also sugar can cause obesity in long term...
<http://cdn.intechopen.com/pdfs/40323/InTech-Food_addiction_obesity_and_neuroimaging.pdf>


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2013-09-25. Score: 0

I feel that this question is vague. Obviously sugar-seeking behaviour abates after significant consumption of sugar due to satiation. Therefore, the answer to the question is categorically 'yes'.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It could be. I trust the author was being deliberately broad.  

---

