Risk of diseases at low IQ higher

The Viennese scientists searched for the study published in the specialized magazine “Nature Communications Psychology” for relationships between different diagnoses about physical and psychological disorders and the IQ points achieved.

A result of the analysis with data from different countries: with a 15 -point IQ in younger years, an average of 22 percent increased the risk of diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, dementia or diabetes later in life, as the team reports in the publication.

Effect on mental disorders greater
On average, the effect in terms of mental disorders was more pronounced. However, the statistically significant connection is usually lower if health care in the country where the research took place was generally better. The effect was just as smaller when people with the same level of education were compared.

Study: Improve the education system
From this, the team around the most important authors Jakob Pietschnig and Jonathan Fries of the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna, conclude that this is exactly where important principles are: an improvement in the education system and healthcare “do not eliminate the negative health effects of lower intelligence,” says work.

“Independent risk factor”
In this context, the authors of the study are also useful to increase health -specific knowledge, especially in early phases of life. For the scientists, the analysis again suggests that lower intelligence “should be considered an independent risk factor for physical and psychological disorders,” says a broadcast from the University of Vienna on Tuesday.