High IQ as child, may become vegetarian

SOUTHAMPTON, England, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- A higher IQ at 10 years of age was associated with an increased likelihood of being vegetarian at the age of 30, according to British researchers.

This was partly accounted for by better education and higher occupational social class, but it remained statistically significant after adjusting for these factors, according to researchers at the University of Southampton and Southampton General Hospital.

Vegetarians were more likely to be female, to be of higher occupational social class and to have higher academic or vocational qualifications than non-vegetarians, although these differences were not reflected in their annual income, which was similar to that of non-vegetarians.

The study involved 8,179 men and women 30 years old whose IQ was tested at age 10 years. Twenty years later 366 of the participants said they were vegetarian. Of these, nine were vegan and 123 were vegetarian but reported eating fish or chicken.

The study is published in the British Medical Journal.