Intelligent People Are More Likely to Be Vegetarian
Editor's Note
During December 2006 and January 2007, many newspapers carried stories
with titles like the following:
“High IQ Link to Being Vegetarian,” Intelligent Children More Likely to
Become Vegetarian,” “High IQ Children Become Vegetarian Adults.”
Interestingly enough, two years ago there was a worldwide poster campaign
with the title: “What Has Eyes, Intelligent People Do Not Eat.” Now just
this has been confirmed by British scientists.
Summary
With every 15-point increase in IQ, the probability that a person will
not eat meat rises by 38%. This was published in a new study in the “British
Medical Journal” of Dec. 15, 2006. *1
The Study
The purpose of the study was to determine whether there is a correlation
between intelligence and a person deciding for a vegetarian diet. Scientists
at the University of Southampton used the results of IQ tests taken 20 years
ago by children aged 10.
The participants, now 30 years old, were questioned on the following: social
status, education, income and diet. The answers from 8170 persons (4222
female, 3948 male) were evaluated.
The results of the study indicate that the more intelligent a child is the
greater is the probability that he or she will become vegetarian later in
life. And a vegetarian diet actually has significant medical benefits. Three
other studies had already concluded that persons with a higher IQ often have
a lower risk of heart disease. A decisive factor for this appears to be a
vegetarian diet. A person who doesn’t eat meat lowers his risk for
developing heart disease. (References 1-3 in BMJ article). These statements
also agree with medical studies carried out by the Cancer Research Center in
Heidelberg, Germany, which showed that vegetarians have much better test
results relating to heart and circulatory disease and cancer.
Conclusion
Intelligent people are more likely to recognize the correlation between
their attitude toward life and their health, thus being more apt to choose a
vegetarian diet.
This conclusion was summed up nicely by Liz O’Neill, of the Vegetarian
Society:
“We’ve always known that vegetarianism is an intelligent, compassionate
choice benefiting animals, people and the environment.” *2
See:
Health risks caused by meat consumption - Meat makes you sick
See: Ecological interrelationships of factory
farming
See:
Why Vegetarian? Various reasons to be a vegetarian
(1) “British Medical Journal” from Dec. 15, 2006
Abstract
Article
(2) BBC NEWS Online: Dec. 15, 2006