吃素的人智商會更高些嗎?

Vegetarians are more intelligent, says study

Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike.

But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends.

A study of thousands of men and women revealed that those who stick to a vegetarian diet have IQs that are around five points higher than those who regularly eat meat.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers say it isn't clear why veggies are brainier - but admit the fruit and veg-rich vegetarian diet could somehow boost brain power.

The researchers, from the University of Southampton, tracked the fortunes of more than 8,000 volunteers for 20 years.

At the age of ten, the boys and girls sat a series of tests designed to determine their IQ.

When they reached the age of 30, they were asked whether they were vegetarian and their answers compared to their childhood IQ score.

Around four and a half per cent of the adults were vegetarian - a figure that is broadly in line with that found in the general population.

However, further analysis of the results showed those who were brainiest as children were more likely to have become vegetarian as adults, shunning both meat and fish.

The typical adult veggie had a childhood IQ of around 105 - around five points higher than those who continued to eat meat as they grew up.

The vegetarians were also more likely to have gained degrees and hold down high-powered jobs.

There was no difference in IQ between strict vegetarians and those who classed themselves as veggie but still ate fish or chicken.

However, vegans - vegetarians who also avoid dairy products - scored significantly lower, averaging an IQ score of 95 at the age of 10.

Researcher Dr Catharine Gale said there could be several explanations for the findings, including intelligent people being more likely to consider both animal welfare issues and the possible health benefits of a vegetarian diet.

Previous work has shown that vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol, cutting their risk of heart attacks. They are also less likely to be obese.

Alternatively, a diet which is rich in fruit, vegetables and wholegrains may somehow boost brain power.

Dr Gale said: 'Although our results suggest that children who are more intelligent may be more likely to become vegetarian as adolescents or young adults, it does not rule out the possibility that such a diet might have some beneficial effect on subsequent cognitive performance.

'Might the nature of the vegetarians' diet have enhanced their apparently superior brain power? Was this the mechanism that helped them achieve the disproportionate nature of degrees?'

High-profile vegetarians include singers Paul McCartney and Morrissey and actress Jenny Seagrove.

Past exponents of a meat-free lifestyle include George Bernard Shaw and Benjamin Franklin.

Promoting the cause, Shaw said, 'A mind of the calibre of mine cannot drive its nutriment from cows', while Franklin stated that a vegetarian diet resulted in 'greater clearness of head and quicker comprehension'.

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!'研究發現︰素食者智商較高

像怪人屢次不受歡迎一樣，他們愛挑剔的的飲食習慣使他們不受主人和客人的歡迎。

但現在，他們可以開心地笑了，隨着研究表明：素食者比那些吃肉的朋友更聰明。

一項有幾千名男性和女性參加的研究表明，堅持吃素食的人比經常吃肉的人智商高五分左右。

這項研究結果在《英國醫學期刊》上發表。研究人員稱，素食者智商更高的具體原因還不清楚，但素食中豐富的水果和蔬菜可以增強腦力。

南安普頓大學的研究人員對8000多名志願者進行了長達20年的跟蹤調查。結果發現，30歲之前一直以素食爲主的調查對象在10歲時的智商平均高出五分。

10歲時，男孩和女孩要做連續的測試來測定他們的智力。

當他們到了30歲，他們要被提問是否是素食者，並且他們的答案會與他們童年時期的IQ分數作比較 ，

結果顯示大約45%的人是素食者，大體上根據結果可推測總人口有多少素食者。

研究人員通過進一步分析發現，智商較高的兒童成人後成爲素食者的可能性較大 。

成年素食者在兒童時期的智商大約爲105，比非素食者兒童時期的智商高五分左右 。

此外，素食者獲得學位和擔任高層職位的機率較大.

但素食者和非素食者在收入方面沒有什麼差別。

此外，嚴格素食者和吃魚和雞肉的素食者的智商水平沒什麼差別。

但不食用奶製品的完全素食者的智商水平則要低得多，他們10歲時的平均智商只有95分。

研究員Catharine Gale博士稱：結果可能有幾個解釋，包括聰明的人可能會更喜歡考慮動物的保護問題和素食者飲食的可能的保健福利.以前的工作表示，素食主義者傾向於有降低低血壓和降低膽固醇，削減他們的心臟病發作的風險。同時，他們也很少是肥胖者。

也許，在水果、蔬菜和穀物含有富有的營養物以某種方式促進大腦發育。 gale博士說：“雖然我們的結果建議是更加聰明的孩子當他們長大時可能更容易變爲素食者，它不排除這樣的可能性：如此飲食也許有利於以後的認知表現。

“可能是素食者的飲食的本質有明顯提高他們優越智能的功效？還是幫助他們達到不均衡的本質程度的機制？”

注目的素食主義者包括歌手保羅・麥卡特尼和莫利塞和女演員詹妮.錫格羅夫。

一種無肉生活方式的倡導者包括蕭伯納和富蘭克林。蕭伯納說：“我聰明的頭腦不可能控制來自牛的食物，而富蘭克林闡明，素食飲食會有更聰明、更清晰的頭腦和快速的理解。

來自一個素食社團的Liz O' Neill說： “ 我們總是知道素食主義是一個聰明、慈悲、有益於動物、人們和環境的選擇。 現在， 我們已經得到科學證據來證明它”。

可能這就是爲什麼許多提倡少吃肉的人稱自己是素食主義者的辯解，甚至他們必須知道素食主義者不能吃雞、火雞或者魚!