Christina Wraw|Geoff Der|Catharine R. Gale|Ian J. Deary
Intelligence in youth and health behaviours in middle age
University of Edinburgh|MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit|University of Glasgow|University of Edinburgh|MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit|University of Southampton|Southampton General Hospital|University of Edinburgh
investigated association intelligence youth range healthrelated behaviours middle age participants 5347 men women responded national longitudinal survey youth 1979 nlsy79 2012 survey iq recorded armed forces qualification test afqt participants aged 15 23 years age selfreports exercise moderate activity vigorous activity strength training dietary smoking drinking oral health behaviours recorded participants middle age mean age 517 years series regression analyses tested association iq youth different health related behaviours middle age adjusting childhood socioeconomic status ses adult ses higher iq youth significantly associated following behaviours beneficial health likely able moderate cardiovascular activity odds ratio 95 ci 172 135 220 p 001 strength training 161 137 190 p 001 less likely sugary drink previous week 075 071 080 p 001 lower likelihood drinking alcohol heavily 067 061 074 p 001 less likely smoke 060 056 065 p 001 likely floss 147 135 159 p 001 likely say often read nutritional information 120 109 131 p 001 ingredients 124 112 136 p 001 food packaging compared always reading higher iq also linked dietary behaviours may may linked poorer health outcomes ie likely skipped meal 110 103 117 p 005 snacked meals 137 126 150 p 001 previous week inverted ushaped association also found iq number meals skipped per week higher iq also linked behaviours known linked poorer health ie higher likelihood drinking alcohol compared abstinent drinking alcohol 158 147 169 p 001 ushaped association found iq amount alcohol consumed per week inverted ushaped association found iq number cigarettes smoked day across outcomes adjusting childhood ses tended attenuate estimated effect size slightly adjusting adult ses led marked attenuation statistical significance maintained cases present study higher iq adolescence associated number healthier behaviours middle age contrast results associations also identified higher intelligence behaviours may may linked poor health ie skipping meals snacking meals behaviours known linked poor health ie drinking alcohol number cigarettes smoked explore mechanisms association future studies could test range health behaviours potential mediators iq morbidity mortality later life