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Vegetarian Intelligence
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It seems that children who grow up to be vegetarians as adults have higher IQs than their meat-eating and vegan counterparts, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. They are also better educated and achieve greater academic success. They don’t, however, make more money.
Vegetarians, who make up less than 2% of the population, do not eat meat, chicken, or fish. Their diet is comparatively low in cholesterol and saturated fat, and has more fiber. They tend to have lower weight, cholesterol and blood pressure levels than people who eat meat. They also have lower death rates from heart disease and certain cancers.
To assess if intelligence and diet choice was linked, researchers enrolled 8,170 participants and tested their IQ at age 10 and assessed their diet at age 30.
They found that vegetarians were more likely to be female, and to come from and remain in the highest social class. On average, the vegetarians scored about 5 points higher on the IQ test than meat eaters.
They also found that vegans, who eat no animal products at all, had significantly lower IQ scores than the vegetarians. They say this could be due to the small number of vegans in the study.
Despite their superior intelligence, however, the vegetarians did not earn more money. The researchers suggest that their tendency to work in the non-profit sector, local government, and education may be influenced by ethical considerations. The researchers speculate that smarter children may make smarter health choices as adults, and may embrace vegetarianism for its health benefits.
Regardless of the motives, choosing vegetarianism does appear to be a smart move. Better health and longevity, in addition to the ethical implications, make a convincing case for “going green”.
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