Dumb + Bored = Dead
The juxtaposition of two stories on YahooNews spell bad news for some:
Low IQ among top heart health risks, study finds
Intelligence is second only to smoking as a predictor of heart disease, scientists said on Wednesday, suggesting public health campaigns may need to be designed for people with lower IQs if they are to work.
Research by Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) found that lower intelligence quotient scores were associated with higher rates of heart disease and death, and were more important indicators than any other risk factors except smoking.
Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women Europe, the United States and most industrialized countries.
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes accounted for 32 percent of all deaths around the world in 2005.
It is well known that people with poorer education and lower incomes often face higher risks of ill health and a range of diseases. Studies have pointed to many likely reasons, including limited access to healthcare and other resources, poorer living conditions, chronic stress and higher rates of lifestyle risk factors like smoking.
Being bored could be bad for your health
In a commentary to be published in the International Journal of Epidemiology in April, experts say there’s a possibility that the more bored you are, the more likely you are to die early.
Annie Britton and Martin Shipley of University College London caution that boredom alone isn’t likely to kill you — but it could be a symptom of other risky behavior like drinking, smoking, taking drugs or having a psychological problem.
No word on the health impact of mind-numbing health reporting.
Is it just me, or does this title sound rather like the plot lines from “1000 ways to die” and “Jackass, the Movie”?