Vegetarians more intelligent ?

[Guest guest]

Vegetarians are more intelligent, says study

 

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23378331-details/Vegetarians+are+more\

+intelligent%2C+says+study/article.do

 

Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them

unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike.

But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing

vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends.

A study of thousands of men and women revealed that those who stick to a

vegetarian diet have IQs that are around five points higher than those who

regularly eat meat.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers say it isn't clear why

veggies are brainier - but admit the fruit and veg-rich vegetarian diet could

somehow boost brain power.

The researchers, from the University of Southampton, tracked the fortunes of

more than 8,000 volunteers for 20 years.

At the age of ten, the boys and girls sat a series of tests designed to

determine their IQ.

When they reached the age of 30, they were asked whether they were vegetarian

and their answers compared to their childhood IQ score.

Around four and a half per cent of the adults were vegetarian - a figure that

is broadly in line with that found in the general population.

However, further analysis of the results showed those who were brainiest as

children were more likely to have become vegetarian as adults, shunning both

meat and fish.

The typical adult veggie had a childhood IQ of around 105 - around five points

higher than those who continued to eat meat as they grew up.

The vegetarians were also more likely to have gained degrees and hold down

high-powered jobs.

There was no difference in IQ between strict vegetarians and those who classed

themselves as veggie but still ate fish or chicken.

However, vegans - vegetarians who also avoid dairy products - scored

significantly lower, averaging an IQ score of 95 at the age of 10.

Researcher Dr Catharine Gale said there could be several explanations for the

findings, including intelligent people being more likely to consider both animal

welfare issues and the possible health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Previous work has shown that vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure and

lower cholesterol, cutting their risk of heart attacks. They are also less

likely to be obese.

Alternatively, a diet which is rich in fruit, vegetables and wholegrains may

somehow boost brain power.

Dr Gale said: 'Although our results suggest that children who are more

intelligent may be more likely to become vegetarian as adolescents or young

adults, it does not rule out the possibility that such a diet might have some

beneficial effect on subsequent cognitive performance.

'Might the nature of the vegetarians' diet have enhanced their apparently

superior brain power? Was this the mechanism that helped them achieve the

disproportionate nature of degrees?'

High-profile vegetarians include singers Paul McCartney and Morrissey and

actress Jenny Seagrove.

Past exponents of a meat-free lifestyle include George Bernard Shaw and

Benjamin Franklin.

Promoting the cause, Shaw said, 'A mind of the calibre of mine cannot drive

its nutriment from cows', while Franklin stated that a vegetarian diet resulted

in 'greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension'.

Liz O'Neill, of the Vegetarian Society, said: 'We've always known that

vegetarianism is an intelligent, compassionate choice benefiting animals, people

and the environment. Now, we've got the scientific evidence to prove it.

'Maybe that explains why many meat-reducers are keen to call themselves

vegetarians when even they must know that vegetarians don't eat chicken, turkey

or fish!'

 

 

- Matt, USA So Vegans started out stupid and ended up what?

 

I mean besides malnourished and pale.

 

- Jeff, Kabul, Afghanistan

As many people have already realized, this finding is skewed. If the study was

broken down according to level of education, I'm sure we would find that in the

college graduate group we would see more vegetarians. This also ties in with the

added expense of healthy eating. Among lower income or education, I think

intelligence would cease to be a factor in vegetarian diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Bedlow is an excellent article, " The Myths of Vegetarianism " , from the

Weston Price Foundation. It is loaded with references. As the

article is quite long, I shall only give the opening part of it along

with the URL. Read the full article to see long explanations of each

of the myths below.

 

Alobar

 

**********************************************

The Myths of Vegetarianism

by Stephen Byrnes, PhD, RNCP

 

Originally published in the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients,

July 2000. Revised January 2002. This paper is posted at:

http://www.powerhealth.net/selected_articles.htm.

 

" An unflinching determination to take the whole evidence into

account is the only method of preservation against the fluctuating

extremes of fashionable opinion. " —Alfred North Whitehead

 

Bill and Tanya sat before me in my office in a somber mood: they had

just lost their first baby in the second month of pregnancy. Tanya was

particularly upset. " Why did this happen to me? Why did I miscarry my

baby? " The young couple had come to see me mostly because of Tanya's

recurrent respiratory infections, but also wanted some advice as to

how they could avoid the heartache of another failed pregnancy.

 

Upon questioning Tanya about her diet, I quickly saw the cause of her

infections, as well as her miscarriage: she had virtually no fat in

her diet and was also mostly a vegetarian. Because of the plentiful

media rhetoric about the supposed dangers of animal product

consumption, as opposed to the alleged health benefits of the

vegetarian lifestyle, Tanya had deliberately removed such things as

cream, butter, meats and fish from her diet. Although she liked liver,

she avoided it due to worries over " toxins. "

 

Tanya and Bill left with a bottle of vitamin A, other supplements and

a dietary prescription that included plentiful amounts of animal fats

and meat. Just before leaving my office, Tanya looked at me and said

ruefully: " I just don't know what to believe sometimes. Everywhere I

look there is all this low-fat, vegetarian stuff recommended. I

followed it, and look what happened. " I assured her that if she and

her husband changed their diets and allowed sufficient time for her

weakened uterus to heal, they would be happy parents in due time. In

November 2000, Bill and Tanya happily gave birth to their first child,

a girl.

The Evolution of a Myth

 

Along with the unjustified and unscientific saturated fat and

cholesterol scares of the past several decades has come the notion

that vegetarianism is a healthier dietary option for people. It seems

as if every health expert and government health agency is urging

people to eat fewer animal products and consume more vegetables,

grains, fruits and legumes. Along with these exhortations have come

assertions and studies supposedly proving that vegetarianism is

healthier for people and that meat consumption is associated with

sickness and death. Several authorities, however, have questioned

these data, but their objections have been largely ignored.

 

As we shall see, many of the vegetarian claims cannot be substantiated

and some are simply false and dangerous. There are benefits to

vegetarian diets for certain health conditions, and some people

function better on less fat and protein, but, as a practitioner who

has dealt with several former vegetarians and vegans (total

vegetarians), I know full well the dangerous effects of a diet devoid

of healthful animal products. It is my hope that all readers will more

carefully evaluate their position on vegetarianism after reading this

paper.

 

* Myth #1: Meat consumption contributes to famine and depletes the

Earth's natural resources.

* Myth #2: Vitamin B12 can be obtained from plant sources.

* Myth #3: Our needs for vitamin D can be met by sunlight.

* Myth #4: The body's needs for vitamin A can be entirely obtained

from plant foods.

* Myth #5: Meat-eating causes osteoporosis, kidney disease, heart

disease, and cancer.

* Myth #6: Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol cause heart

disease, atherosclerosis, and/or cancer, and low-fat, low-cholesterol

diets are healthier for people.

* Myth #7: Vegetarians live longer and have more energy and

endurance than meat-eaters.

* Myth #8: The " cave man " diet was low-fat and/or vegetarian.

Humans evolved as vegetarians.

* Myth #9: Meat and saturated fat consumption have increased in

the 20th century, with a corresponding increase in heart disease and

cancer.

* Myth #10: Soy products are adequate substitutes for meat and

dairy products.

* Myth #11: The human body is not designed for meat consumption.

* Myth #12: Eating animal flesh causes violent, aggressive

behavior in humans.

* Myth #13: Animal products contain numerous, harmful toxins.

* Myth #14: Eating meat or animal products is less " spiritual "

than eating only plant foods.

* Myth #15: Eating animal foods is inhumane.

 

http://www.westonaprice.org/healthissues/bloodmoon.html

 

 

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On 12/16/06, Bob Dunbar <robertaldermandunbar wrote:

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> Vegetarians are more intelligent, says study

>

>

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23378331-details/Vegetarians+are+more\

+intelligent%2C+says+study/article.do

>