With all the talk about self-improvement these days, people don't pay enough attention to self-worsening. In fact, there are many common behaviors that have been shown in one or more studies to make people stupider.

As a follow-up to our 25 ways to boost your intelligence, we've compiled a list of things that decrease intelligence or IQ or cause neurological decline.

 

Watching reality TV

 

An Austrian study showed participants a reality-like show and asked them to take a knowledge test immediately afterward. Those participants fared worse than those who had not seen the reality show beforehand.

Sugar

 

A UCLA study showed that steady sugar consumption for as little as six weeks "slows the brain, hampering memory and learning." Americans consume 35 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup each year, UCLA reported via the U.S. Department of Agriculture.