Vegetarianism and IQ?

Question

Today, there is a story in the news about a study on High IQ and a tendency toward vegetarianism. Do you think it is true?

Answer 1

I think that, as a rule, more intelligent people are more concerned with their own well-being, and with the well-being of others. However, I take this study with a grain of salt, because 1/3 of the "vegetarians" in the study still eat white meat.

Answer 2

No, and that study doesn't prove anything new anyway. The fact has always been 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 intelligence 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. There is no evidence showing that it increases IQ and I find saying that more intelligent people are more likely to go veg a pointless argument.
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.

@ME No, it didn't say Most kids with a high IQ become vegetarian, it said a higher proprtion. In fairness it wasn't that much a higher proportion anyway.

Answer 3

I don't know what to think about these studies anymore. It's also well established that most psycopaths and serial killers have very high IQs. Does that mean they're all vegetarians? Or all vegetarians are potential serial killers? And if they're not, are they at least psychotic?

I think if you're looking hard enough, you can find whatever it is you WANT to find.

What was the purpose of the study? Is there a link to a report you can post?

I'm not saying I don't believe it, I'm just saying I don't think diet has as much to do with your IQ as genetics and the environment in which you were raised.

I'd very much like to see the study itself before I draw too many conclusions.

~Morg~

Answer 4

Yes! People like George Bernard Shaw, Leonardo da Vinci, Darwin, Thomas Edison, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Newton Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain and H.G. Wells were vegetarian!

Answer 5

Not without seeing the study.

I could design a study to prove almost anything. Here's one smoking might be good for you. WHAT SMOKING GOOD FOR YOU HOW. People who smoke have a lower occurrence of Alzheimer's then people who don't smoke.

There was even an medical-journal article titled "Beneficial Effects of Nicotine" (Jarvik, British Journal of Addiction, 1991).

Once I see the study and see if any data was excluded, it's call cherry picking, and see if it can be duplicated, then I might believe it.

Answer 6

I read that on yahoo yesterday, that most young children with a high IQ grow up to be vegetarians. Becuase of the way of lifestyle in a way I can understand that but other ways it makes no sense to me.

Answer 7

In all honesty I do think it's true. When I first turned vegetarian I felt like a door opened in my mind. I became more compassionate, more politically aware, more environmentally conscious, more health conscious. It's like I could see clearly. It takes a lot of common sense to become vegetarian because you turn veggie for a reason. Any reason for becoming vegetarian or vegan takes smarts.

Answer 8

Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. ~Albert Einstein

Answer 9

if you raise a kid vegetarian he/she will have a higher IQ than kids that eat meat

Answer 10

Only in the sense that it is wise to avoid dead flesh