British researchers have found that children's IQ predicts their probability of becoming vegetarians   as young adults. Recent studies suggest that vegetarianism may be associated with lower cholesterol  , reduced risk of overweight and heart disease. "We know from other studies that brighter children tend to behave in a healthier fashion as adults--they're less likely to smoke, less likely to be overweight,less likely to have high blood pressure and more likely to take exercise." lead author Catharine Gale said, "This study provides further evidence that people  with a high IQ tend to have a healthier lifestyle." In the study, Gale's team collected data on nearly 8,200 men and women aged 30, whose IQ had been tested when they were 10 years of age. "Children who scored higher on IQ tests at age 10 were more likely than those who got lower scores to report that they were vegetarian at the age of 30."Gale said. The researchers found that 4.5 percent of participants were vegetarians. Of these, 2.5 percent were _ , and 33.6 percent said they were vegetarian but also ate fish or chicken. There was no difference in IQ score between strict vegetarians and those who said they were vegetarian but also ate fish or chicken,the researchers added. One expert said the findings weren't the whole answer,however. "We don't know the beliefs or attitudes of the parents of the children,nor do we know if there was a particular event that led these children to becoming vegetarian in their teens or adulthood." said Lona Sandon, and assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. This study left some unanswered questions EXCEPT "  _  ".
Did the vegetarian children grow up in a family with a vegetarian parent? Did the children eat a primarily vegetarian diet at the age of 10? Were meatless meals regularly served in the participants' families? Did the vegetarian children really have a high IQ?