In a message dated 8/29/02 4:00:31 PM, Amadeus Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>
writes:

<< "In a 1980 study in Boston, researchers measured the IQs of vegetarian
children. Some of the children were following a macrobiotic diet, a few
were Seventh-day Adventists (many of whom follow a plant-based diet),
and the rest were from families that had simply decided to go vegetarian.
On intelligence testing, the kids were considerably above average.
The average IQ was 116." >>

The stated average IQ of 100 is that taken over a very large and broad range
of the population, and, although I cannot provide a reference, I believe I
have read somewhere that this number is rising for a variety of reasons.
(This is not the same as declining SAT and other achievement test scores.)

Anyway, it must be pointed out that "vegetarian children in Boston" is a very
select group of children. Whether or not their parents have made the best
choice in terms of long term health is not the issue. BUT, parents who take
it upon themselves to study the facts, and make a conscious decision to
embrace a particular health type lifestyle, (i.e., vegetarianism) are more
likely to have a higher than normal intelligence themselves. Their children,
therefore, are more than likely to have inherited genes for higher
intelligence to begin with.

Furthermore, it is likely that these children would have had the advantage of
a more stimulating environment, because of the studied choices of their
parents, further contributing to their higher IQs.

My last comment is that children who are following ANY specific dietary plan
are most likely cutting out at least SOME of the garbage (sodas, etc.) most
children thrive on today, because their parents are exerting more control
over what their children eat. Just the deletion of large amounts of junk
foods could be another contributory factor.

I would certainly be willing to wager that meat-eating Paleo children in
Boston would have higher than average IQs, too!

Maddy Mason
Hudson Valley, NY