If you are poor chances are you have a smaller brain

[I am Canadian]

...according to this scientific study:

Poverty shrinks brains from birth
Studies show that children from low-income families have smaller brains and lower cognitive abilities.

The stress of growing up poor can hurt a child’s brain development starting before birth, research suggests — and even very small differences in income can have major effects on the brain.

The brains of children from the lowest income bracket — less than US$25,000 — had up to 6% less surface area than did those of children from families making more than US$150,000, the researchers found. In children from the poorest families, income disparities of a few thousand dollars were associated with major differences in brain structure, particularly in areas associated with language and decision-making skills. Children's scores on tests measuring cognitive skills, such as reading and memory ability, also declined with parental income.

http://www.nature.com/news/poverty-shri ... th-1.17227

Agree or not?

[Puddlejumper40]

One study done with just over a thousand people. I would like to see multiple studies, from all over the world, that include all races and genders and then we might have some interesting findings. One study doesn't prove much in my opinion.

[Puddlejumper40]

Another thought. I thought we only used a small percentage of our brain. Don't we have an excessive amount of brain anyway? I mean, if we don't use that much of it, we could probably get away with it being smaller... What does the actual size of the brain have to do with anything?

[Merry]

It's not a big stretch of the imagination to assume that poor nutrition probably has a negative effect on brain development. And the poorer people are, the more likely it is that they don't eat as well as they should. So, with that in mind, there may be some truth to the idea that babies born into poor families have smaller brains.

All the more reason to do whatever we can to make sure that pregnant women and babies are getting all their nutritional needs.

[I Think]

It is settled science that poor nutrition leads to fewer dendritic connections, both in the fetus and in juveniles.
It has been studied in famine ridden regions, to exacerbate the problem, when famine hits the birth rate rises making even more competition for the available nutrition. A starving mother cannot produce milk to feed her starving young.

[JLives]

Another thought. I thought we only used a small percentage of our brain. Don't we have an excessive amount of brain anyway? I mean, if we don't use that much of it, we could probably get away with it being smaller... What does the actual size of the brain have to do with anything?

That is a myth. http://www.iflscience.com/brain/do-we-r ... -our-brain

[Auto1]

If you google "low socioeconomic status and" you will see links to

-lower educational achievement
-more time spent in jail
-lower dietary standards
-increased rate of teenage pregnancy
-more mental health problems
-higher rate of obesity (see also the diet studies)


and the list goes on. (You can narrow the search just to Canada. There is plenty of research.).

Does this mean that everyone born into a lower socioeconomic class is destined to remain there? No. Not by any means.

It just means there is statistically significant research that indicates that growing up "in poverty" limits people, and is hard to overcome. It may well be that the obstacles are not just external (lack of opportunities), and may be internal as well.

[Thinktank]

Agree or not?

If you are poor..... lots of things are happening. Most of the people I know are poor. The definition of poor is not drawing a line at a certain income level . Almost everyone I know is poor, including myself.

One definition of poor would be: if you don't work, you don't eat.
Another definition of poor would be: miss a house payment - bank takes your house.
Another definition of poor would be: Don't own a house. I would say 50% of Canadians are poor.


We like to think we are rich - compared to the really poor people. But we're not rich. We're poor.
- In 2012, a record 872,379 Canadians used food banks each month - but that doesn't mean everyone else isn't poor. The bottom 50% of us are getting poorer every day. The richest 1% are getting richer every day.

McMaster University study (2010) finds a 21-year difference in life expectancy between the poorest neighbourhood and the wealthiest neighbourhood in Hamilton, Ontario.
^^^^^ Right there. It explains why being very poor isn't a good idea.


http://www.cwp-csp.ca/poverty/just-the-facts/

[Thinktank]

We know being very poor is bad. we see it on Hastings St in Vancouver. And sometimes
we see it in the cities we live.

But how about being a little bit poor? What's that like?

Is it the poor people's fault they are poor?
Or is it the rich people's fault they are poor?

Or is someone going to tell me to start a new topic?

[rustled]

If you are poor..... lots of things are happening. Most of the people I know are poor. The definition of poor is not drawing a line at a certain income level . Almost everyone I know is poor, including myself.

One definition of poor would be: if you don't work, you don't eat.
Another definition of poor would be: miss a house payment - bank takes your house.
Another definition of poor would be: Don't own a house. I would say 50% of Canadians are poor.

First world poverty sure looks a lot different from third world poverty.

I wonder if this study accounted for choices made in the home? I grew up poor by Canadian standards, but my parents did their best to make sure there was nutrition in the food we ate, instead of replacing the ancient second-hand black and white television. Today, in families which would be considered poor by the current poverty line, the pre-school aged kids play with their parents electronic gadgets.

Doesn't a lack of positive human engagement also contribute something to smaller brain size?

[I Think]

Doesn't a lack of positive human engagement also contribute something to smaller brain size?

Any animal raised in an emotionally starved environment makes fewer dendritic connections.
It is clear that to fully realize the brain potential of any animal it must receive good nutrition and good socialization.

[MAPearce]

I'm not "rich"... But I'm not poor either..

I has nothing to do with the size of my brain , but the size of my heart....

[Thinktank]

When I was younger I never understood anything about nutrition. No one taught me.
Now, when it comes to food - I shell out the money. I pay for food. I don't pay for other
things but I pay for food. People who save money on food usually end up paying for it later in doctors bills.
And that's why the poor are some of the stupidest people. they skimp on food and pay for
cigarettes
alcohol
cable tv
etc

[MAPearce]

You forgot internet....

[I Think]

If you live in North America and are on welfare or better, you are in the top 3% of income in the world.