Does chewing gum increase intelligence?
On One Hand: Tests Suggest Intelligence LinkResearch funded by the Wrigley Science Institute has shown that chewing gum can increase intelligence. The well-respected Baylor College of Medicine, which carried out the tests, found a positive correlation between chewing gum and increased intelligence. According to the Wrigley Science Institute, students who were given gum to chew “had a significantly greater increase in their standardized math test scores after 14 weeks of chewing gum.”On the Other: Nobody Knows Exactly WhyThe test results showed a 3 percent increase among gum-chewing students. However, researchers were unable to give a definitive reason as to why this should occur. Chris Chatham, writing for Scienceblogs.com, argues that chewing gum may simply help a student to stay more alert or relaxed during tests. Furthermore, the credibility of the results also is questionable because Wrigley is one of the world’s largest makers of chewing gum.Bottom LineFurther research is necessar
