Is this why meat eaters think vegetarianism is wrong?

Question

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.

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

OOh Answers already! Thanks Carl The Green's Keeper, good answer. Ditto barbara, salforddude and Top Bean. Just as Vegetarians don't like omnivores coming into V&V and hectoring people about their diet.

Thank you too Daft One. For your concern. For confusing 'vegetarian' and 'vegan'. And for chucking God into the equation for good measure too!

winballpizard - out of your 32 adult teeth, only four are sharp and pointy actually. And since 8 are incisors that makes the majority flat molars.

Answer 1

Ahh, that makes me quite proud to be Southampton University alumni. Well done guys for giving us veggies some good press!

EDIT- Hawkeye, the animals would not be bred in the first place if people weren't eating them. They don't just go find cows in the wild and kill them, they breed them and keep them in horrible cruel conditions until they're slaughtered. That's why most people are veggies- to stop them from being bred into all that in the first place.

EDIT2- "old know it all", have you read the article? The study was done on 30 year olds. I haven't really heard of many vegetarians dying of malnutrition under the age of 30. And if you read the article, it doesn't suggest that vegetarianism makes you more intelligent, it says that the more intelligent people are more likely to be vegetarians. It's about personality types really- veggies are more likely to be philisohpical and deep thinkers which needs a certain pre-requisite of intellectual capacity.

Answer 2

I don't think you need to worry about offending this person since they are obviously wrong, and it is obviously annoying you. I think you can subtly get your point across without being completely offensive. Like for example if your at a restaurant with this person and they are making one of those comments, and say they order say chicken or whatever, maybe make a point when the waiter comes over to say something like, can I have so and so without the chicken because I'm a vegetarian so I need to make sure theres no chicken in it or something tothat extent. That way you can get your point across in front of them that eating meat is not considered being a vegetarian, but you don't need to confront them and be directly offensive.

Answer 3

Yes, but that study doesn't prove anything new does it? The fact is that intelligent people are more likely to become vegetarian, and similarly that the council housed, binge drinking, smoking segment of the population aren't likely to give two figs about the issue. It doesn't show that vegetarianism increases health and other studies have shown that it doesn't at all. In fact I think you'll find it you look at the people of similar IQs at ten, they'd end up with similar IQs at 30, regardless of diet.
On the other hand fish is indisputably shown to boost brain development in children, and there is similar evidence showing other meat does similar on a lower level.

Nutsters Space Cadet, someone who claims that their diet is making them more intelligent loses all credibility when they show a lack of ability to punctuate and spell and they use text speech. Going 'nah nah nah nah' didn't help your case either.

Michael H, there is no evidence at all that any diet affects intelligence once someone is fully grown, except for fish, which is shown to make the brain more alert. Similarly, fish is shown to increase brain development, and thus intelligence, in children, due to, among other things, omega 3. It is also shown that omega 3 is better from fish than supplements.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4631006.stm
http://www.minami-nutrition.us/omega3/news_starsstripes.php

I really don't think meat eaters are risking CJD. With only 147 cases ever, it's not worth worrying about at all. Compare that to the millions who die every year crossing the road.
That veggies are at less risk of certain diseases can be attributed to similar factors in the that veggies are more intelligent argument. Mainly, they tend to lead much healthier lifestyles, don't smoke or binge drink and lead a well planned diet. The majority rest of the population don't worry about these things at all. No study has managed to completely account for the effects of these factors, but the ones that have done best have either shown veggies at no less risk of various diseases or more risk for some.

"If its really that natural, meateaters should go out and track, kill, gut and eat raw meat."

That is a pathetic argument, mainly because that's what every group of man has done for millions of years until our self-imposed domestication, and some groups of people still do, so the evidence would suggest naturality.
People don't hunt their meat themselves for the same reason they don't go foraging in the woods for mushrooms or berries, and other things we have done for hundreds of millenia: we no longer need to do that to get the meat, so why would most people be bothered enough to do it themselves?

krayzmom, herbivores have long digestive tracts, carnivores have short digestive tracts, and omnivores as a rule have tracts somewhere in the middle.
True, our tracts are longer than a carnivores in comparison to a dog's, but they are also much shorter than a cow's, and lies somewhere in the middle.
On the other thing, unlike all herbivores, we have neither an appendix, multiple stomachs, the ability to chew cud or break down cellulose, and nor can we digest a wide range of plants in comparison to natural herbivores. By all accounts our digestive systems aren't at all well adapted for a herbivorous diet.

Answer 4

Why on earth do people believe that vegetarians and vegans are on some super mission to 'convert' everyone else? I have never in my years, ever come across a vegetarian criticising a meat-eater for how they choose to eat, but I have come across countless meat-eaters telling Vegetarians that what they are doing is pointless and stupid.. - spot who is being the least open-minded in that example?

Answer 5

So God has already been mentioned. Why did he give us humans canine, meat tearing teeth if he didn't expect us to eat meat? He could have given us vegetable crunching molars like cows and horses.

Answer 6

You're right.

It seems that veggies are indeed more intelligent. this now appears to be true from 2 angles, they are inherently more intelligent because they choose to be veggies, and their diet increases their intelligence once they flush all that meat out of their system

Thanks for pointing this out. Unfortunately because of the results of the survey, many meat eaters will continue to eat meat and risk vCJD, heart disease and cancer. I guess Darwin was right.

some of the answers are just simple misdirection because the people haven't got a sensible argument.. I just can't be bothered discussing it with them today, they obviously just don't get farming, arables, rare breeds, reasons for being veggie/vegan. Same old stupid arguments from people who haven't really thought it through, pay no attention to farming practises or animal husbandry and have no clue as to the facts.

I didn't realise i'm veggie because i haven't got the bottle to become vegan - thanks for pointing that out meateaters, very well thought out.

The incisor "we're designed that way" arguement ? How many times do we have to hear this pathetic justification for eating meat ? If its really that natural, meateaters should go out and track, kill, gut and eat raw meat. Its no excuse for the pain and torture you inflict on animals by supported the modern artificial meat production - nothing natural about it at all.

And the "god said its OK " story. That really makes me laugh. since when is it OK to inflict such pain and torture based on a book that was edited out by 50% in the mediaval monastries. You might as well lead your life by Harry Potter. I'll give you as much space as you need for your god, but don't use him/her/it as an excuse to inflct such cruelty.

Many meateaters in these answers claim veggies preach to them. They need to have a look at thier own own answers and the other meateaters that post here. I haven't seen any veggies go outside the Vegetarian and vegan section of this website and preach to meateaters....and yet you lot are in here having a go at us ? Hypocrisy.

If you take RESPONSIBILITY for the pain and torture you support, then we can have a sensible dscussion. Until then, you are hiding behind false arguements.

Answer 7

I think is natural the children to refuse meat when they start eating solid food but when they get the taste for it, they will not have taste for the vegetables. It is all about conditioning and particularly I think it is very brave for a person to switch off from a long time conditioning and change they habits for better. It is easy for us all to be in our comfortable zone... I eat what our parents or the general society teach us.
Of course it is disrespect someone annoyed others regarding of what they eat, but it what the vegetarians aim, most of the time, most of them, especially the vegans, is to defend the animals, to open our eyes to such cruelty to them in sake to satisfy our barbaric conditioning, of thinking we are superior and thus we can savage others creatures.

Answer 8

I do not think vegetarianism is wrong but vegetarians do tend to be so "holier than thou" in their bleating on about it and critisising meat eaters. I do believe we have a free choice. I choose to eat meat because I like it and I believe you need a balance. My doctor has told me to eat red meat because I am anaemic. I have been a vegetarian before and found it all rather tasteless!

Each to their own I say, but what gives vegetarians the right to preach and preach? I do not preach to them!

Answer 9

I'm a meat eater and I don't think vegetarianism is wrong. I do think it's wrong for vegetarians to try to impose their views on those who eat meat though and vice versa. Life's about choice, some eat veggies, some eat meat.

Answer 10

well i am a vegetarian and my brother eats meat. He hates it but likes vegy food. Dont make sense to me. But then again i gess most meat eaters think vegys are vegans, this is because that i have people come to me and say do you eat egg and drink milk. but i say yes cos im not a vegan but they get confused. People just dont like what they dont understand.