The Relationshipbetween IQ and Being a Vegetarian

A Southampton Universityteam found that people who were vegetarians (素食主义者）by 30 had recor-

ded five IQ pointshigher on average at the age of]U.Researchers said it could explain why peoplewith a

higher IQ werehealthier as a vegetarian diet was linked to lower heart disease and obesity（肥胖）rates.The

study of 8,179people was reported in the british Medical Journal.

Twenty years afterthe IQ tests were carried out in 1970,366 of the participants said they werevegetarians一

although more than100 reported eating either fish or chicken.

Men who werevegetarians had an IQ score of 106,compared with 101 for non-vegetarians;whilefemale

vegetarians averaged104,compared with 99 for non-vegetarians.There was no difference in the IQscores

between strictvegetarians and those who said they were vegetarians but reported eating fishor chicken.

Researchers said thefindings were partly related to better education and higher class,but itremained

statisticallysignificant after adjusting for these factors.

Vegetarians weremore likely to be female,to be of higher social class and to have higheracademic or

vocationalqualifications than non-vegetarians.However,these differenIces were notreflected in their annual

income,which wassimilar to that of non-vegetarians.

Lead researcherCatharine Gale said,"The findings that children with greater intelligenceare more likely to

report beingvegetarians as adults,together with the evidence on the potential benefits of avegetarian diet on

heart health,mayhelp to explain why a higher IQ in childhood or adolescence is linked with areduced risk of

coronary heartdisease in adult life."

But Dr FrankiePhillips of the British Dietetic Association said, "It is like the chickenand egg."Do

pcople becomevegetarians because they have avery high IQ or is it just that they are cleverenough to be

more aware of healthissues?Catharine Galetalked about"being vegetarians"in a(n) ___________way.

A.doubtful

B.favorable

C.negative

D.objective