Vegetarianism Commended

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This item came in from another list. Best, Pat

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Dietetic Associations Commend Vegetarianism

 

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) together with Dieticians of

Canada (DC) recently released a position paper recognizing health

benefits of a vegetarian diet.

The paper states that appropriately planned vegan and other

vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and

appropriate for people of all ages, including infants, children,

adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women.

 

Disease prevention benefits of vegetarianism are also noted, with

vegetarians reported to have lower body mass indices than

nonvegetarians; lower rates of death from ischemic heart disease;

lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels; and lower rates of

hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer.

 

According to the associations, 2.5% of adults in the U.S. and 4% of

adults in Canada follow vegetarian diets. Interest is vegetarianism

appears to be increasing, with many restaurants and college food

services routinely offering vegetarian meals

(see also:

http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2003/06/04/features/feat20.txt ).

 

Dietetics professionals are said to have a responsibility to

support

and encourage those who express an interest in a vegetarian diet.

 

An initial, one-month study has found that a low-fat vegetarian

diet

including soy, eggplant and almonds can reduce cholesterol levels

about as much as widely used statin drugs. If the results bear out

in

more comprehensive studies, they could have broad implications for

the millions of people with high cholesterol. Statin drugs are said

to be effective but costly. The vegetarian group averaged a 28.6%

drop in the type of cholesterol that can increase heart disease

risk.

In contrast, a low-fat diet only group had a corresponding drop of

8%.

 

" Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dieticians of

Canada: vegetarian diets, " Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice,

Summer 2003.

http://bmj.com/cgi/external_ref?access_num=12826028 & link_type=MED

 

" Vegetarian Diet May Cut Cholesterol As Well As Drugs, " Associated

Press, July 22, 2003.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/conditions/07/22/reducing.cholesterol.ap/

 

Farmed Animal Watch: N.25, V.2

 

 

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SANTBROWN

townhounds/

http://www.angelfire.com/art/pendragon/

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* " I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet " - Gandhi

 

* " But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh, we deprive a soul

of the sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time it had

been born into the world to enjoy. " - Plutarch

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