study shows higher IQ children tend to become veggie

[Guest guest]

The story broke in the BBC news site

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6180753.stm

 

But for those who cannot see the story (apparently non UK regions

have copyright reasons for not seeing it - it would be handy to know

if you can and yet live in the USA)

 

The report says:

 

Intelligent children are more likely to become vegetarians later in

life, a study says.

A Southampton University team found those who were vegetarian by 30

had recorded five IQ points more on average at the age of 10.

 

Researchers said it could explain why people with higher IQ were

healthier as a vegetarian diet was linked to lower heart disease and

obesity rates.

 

The study of 8,179 was reported in the British Medical Journal.

 

Twenty years after the IQ tests were carried out in 1970, 366 of the

participants said they were vegetarian - although more than 100

reported eating either fish or chicken.

 

Men who were vegetarian had an IQ score of 106, compared with 101 for

non-vegetarians; while female vegetarians averaged 104, compared with

99 for non-vegetarians.

 

There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and

those who said they were vegetarian but who reported eating fish or

chicken.

 

Researchers said the findings were partly related to better education

and higher occupational social class, but it remained statistically

significant after adjusting for these factors.

 

Vegetarians were more likely to be female, to be of higher

occupational social class and to have higher academic or vocational

qualifications than non-vegetarians.

 

However, these differences were not reflected in their annual income,

which was similar to that of non-vegetarians.

 

Lead researcher Catharine Gale said: " The finding that children with

greater intelligence are more likely to report being vegetarian as

adults, together with the evidence on the potential benefits of a

vegetarian diet on heart health, may help to explain why higher IQ in

childhood or adolescence is linked with a reduced risk of coronary

heart disease in adult life. "

 

Intelligence

 

However, she added the link may be merely an example of many other

lifestyle preferences that might be expected to vary with

intelligence, such as choice of newspaper, but which may or may not

have implications for health.

 

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. "

 

But Dr Frankie Phillips, of the British Dietetic Association,

said: " It is like the chicken and the egg. Do people become

vegetarian because they have a very high IQ or is it just that they

tend to be more aware of health issues? "

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Doesn't it make us all punch a fist in the air yelling Yeah!!

 

Geoff