Can a high IQ really stop you getting ill?

COULD a high IQ protect you from chronic diseases and early death?

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh gave 65,000 people an IQ test at the age of 11 and then monitored them for almost 70 years.

Results reported in the BMJ showed those who scored highly on the IQ tests were more likely to still be alive at 79 than those who had a lower IQ, and also had lower rates of respiratory diseases, heart disease and dementia. The theory is that people with higher IQs are more likely to take care of their health and see a GP when ill.