Intelligent Children More Likely To Become Vegetarian

[TheNoNamedOne]

Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061215090916.htm) — Intelligent children may be more likely to be vegetarian as adults, suggests a study published online by the British Medical Journal. ...

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.

Higher IQ at the age of 10 years was associated with an increased likelihood of being vegetarian at the age of 30. This relation was partly accounted for by better education and higher occupational social class, but it remained statistically significant after adjusting for these factors.

Quite an interesting study from the British Medical Journal. I wish they would expand on it a little by looking at Junior High School and High School age kids, the age at which some do become vegetarians, and statisically compare their test scores with non-vegetarians in their same peer group.

I am not sure there would be a difference, but out of curiosity it would be interesting to see.

[P_chan]

I don't think not eating meat makes you smarter. I think the kids who are more intelligent are also more sensitive to the vegetarianism cause.

Also, a kid who becomes a vegetrian at age 10 will probably change their mind again once they get older, unless they have VERY strong convictions. I know girls in high school who swore to god that they were homosexual. Now they have boyfriends/husbands/kids so they obviously weren't homosexual then and aren't now. Kids do anything for attention, especially girls, including changing eating habits.

[TheNoNamedOne]

I don't think not eating meat makes you smarter.

The report/study never once implies that becoming a vegetarian is what makes one smarter. It shows the opposite in fact -- that a child with high IQ is more likely to become a vegetarian.

I think the kids who are more intelligent are also more sensitive to the vegetarianism cause.

I can surely agree with that. Tell me, why do you think that is?

Also, a kid who becomes a vegetrian at age 10 will probably change their mind again once they get older, unless they have VERY strong convictions.

Well, it would be an interesting study to see.

We know there are 10 year old vegetarians because we know many are born into that lifestyle, but I am not sure there are many kids who BECOME vegetarian at 10 years old. Perhaps there are some, but 10 is still kind of early to make that jump, for many kids who do become vegetarians and at odds with their family's flesh diet, find that they have to prepare their food themselves. And I think that most kids start questioning their family's lifestyle at around adolescence -- perhaps from 12 yrs old at the earliest.

Again, though, a study on this could reveal some things you brought up about kids becoming vegetarian.