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| Mon, 08-23-2004 - 8:48am |
The correlation of vegetarianism and decreased health risk is well documented. The health related benefit of the meatless diet in itself, however, is difficult to determine due to the difficulty in isolating the effect of the diet from other behaviors normally associated with vegetarians. While abstaining from meat is often promoted from evidence of decrease in frequency of disease incidence, it is essential to the integrity of the issue to develop a complete understanding of all possible factors related to the health benefits of vegetarians and establish appropriate conclusions that include the benefits of other lifestyle behaviors.
The American Dietetic Association concludes that dietetic professionals should play an integral role in health promotion and disease prevention programs. "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that optimal nutrition and physical activity can promote health and reduce the risk of chronic disease." 1 While the role of nutrition is upheld, the ADA also recognizes the importance of physical activity as a fundamental component for helping to "...prevent or halt progression of full-blown chronic disease and thus decrease chronic disease disability." 1 It is imperative for nutrition practitioners to develop planned intervention for clients that include physical activity and discourages other activities of high health-risk behaviors.
It is known that vegetarians have lower incidence of cancer than nonvegetarians. The reasons behind this, however, have not been conclusively determined. Hebert and Miller studied the methodological complications of dietary correlations to disease stating that there are "... important methodologic problems that could prevent the observation of a true association between dietary factors and human cancer." 2 The American Cancer Society recommends to: choose most foods from plant sources, limit intake of high-fat foods - particularly from animal sources, be physically active - maintain a healthy body weight, and limit consumption of alcoholic beverages. 3 It is quite clear that a vegetarian individual might have little difficulty maintaining most of these guidelines. The ACS, however, specifies the importance of physical activity and interrelates the importance of these guidelines for omnivores and vegetarians alike. Through the realization of the relationship that exists between vegetarian's dietary patterns and other daily activity, it becomes evident that the direct correlation between meatless diets and decreased cancer risk becomes less clear. Furthermore, it is quite certain that an omnivore can also meet all of the ACS guidelines. Tarasuk and Brooker that "it must be recognized that the identification of diet-disease associations is only one part of a much bigger puzzle." If the study of diet-disease associations occurs in abstraction, without examination of the social and material environment within which particular dietary practices arise, then the public health utility of study findings will be severely, and unnecessarily limited. 4
Determining increased health benefits of vegetarians by relation to disease and mortality is complex. It is assumed that many vegetarians choose herbivore diets due to the perceived health benefits associated with it. Evidence for decreased risks for certain chronic degenerative diseases varies; however, and both vegetarian dietary and lifestyle practices are involved. 5 Dietary patterns are often specific to population subgroups defined by variables such as smoking behavior, genetics, region, or ethnicity variables which may also be associated with disease incidence. Identifying the precise roles that dietary factors play in chronic diseases is complicated by the intercorrelation of dietary components and by the correlation of dietary patterns with other behavioral and environmental factors which may also impart or exacerbate risk of disease. 4 A dietary factor, according to Tarasuk and Brooker, which appears to be important may simply be acting as a proxy for some other factor which has not been measured but which is also commonly found in the dietary patterns observed; unless both factors are considered, it will be difficult to discern the true dietary effect. 4
The reasons for health benefits of vegetarians are undoubtedly multifactorial. The value of a diet high in fiber, low in fat and high in fruit and vegetable consumption has been well established. However, it would be inappropriate to conclude that one must become a vegetarian to benefit from the dietary advantages that a meatless diet offers. For this reason, concluding that it is absolutely necessary to diminish all meat for the sole purpose of increasing health may need to be reconsidered. Where it may be considerably easier to meet many of the dietary guidelines through a vegetarian diet, the conscientious omnivore can incorporate a healthful diet that allows meat consumption. As Dwyer concludes, "Reduced risks for chronic degenerative diseases can also be achieved by manipulations of omnivorous diets and lifestyles." 5 Increased health risk exists for omnivores and vegetarians alike who participate in non-diet related activities that are known to be detrimental to health. It is concluded, however, that more research is needed to determine the high risk behavior of vegetarians relative to omnivores. It is proposed that vegetarians, who many times choose the lifestyle for health benefits, participate in many other lifestyle behaviors that promote health and eliminate many behaviors that are known health detriments.

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Thank you for sharing the reasons you became a vegetarian.
~~~Save a Tree, Save our Planet, Recycle, Think Organic
health reasons are a good reason to become vegetarian, but i would also say thta it is possible to be healthy as an omnivore (one who eats meat and plant based foods). it just depends upon the individual.
:)
i agree. i'm a vegan for ethical reasons and also try to eat healthy. before i became a vegetarian i ate a very healthy omni diet (no red meat, animal products limited to only a tiny bit of fish, skinless chicken, and egg whites as part of diet full of fruits and vegetables). i know people who eat a very healthy non-vegetarian diet. but i don't think their diet is ethically defensible.
i like how the article turns the tables though - it used to be that experts would say that it's possible to be a healthy vegetarian if one is "conscientious". now they are writing articles saying that it's possible to be a healthy omnivore IF you are conscientious. that's great.
i know a lot of vegans with really really unhealthy diets. all they eat is soy cheese and fake meat and french fries. that's certainly a lot less healthy that my diet was when i was an omnivore. so obviously, being a vegetarian doesn't automatically mean you are healthier. but i still think that, all other things being equal (amount of fat, sugar, processed carbs, trans fats, etc. in diet), it is healthier to be vegan than not. certainly, faux products are healthier than the animal products they replace -- it's healthier to survive on a diet of veggie burgers and chocolate soy shakes and french fries than on McDonald's burgers, fries, and milk shakes.
i think that the diet of veggie burgers and chocolate soy shakes and french fries is equally toxic as the McDonald's burgers, fries, and milk shakes. there is a lot of evidence that soy products, plus the preservatives and other elements, are not any healthier for you than meat. To me, both are equally horrible.
Here's a web site to check out: westonaprice.org.
this is why i have a whole-foods vegetarian diet. i do not take any supplements, i do not use fortified foods, and i am soy-free. not because of any particular sensitivity, but much of the information out there shows that it is dangerous in quantities above 3 grams a day, and processed in the ways that most vegan versions are processed (quickly, with chemical additives) as opposed to the traditional lactofermintation process. i do consume eggs from a reliable and humane source. i do not consume any meat or dairy products.
there is also a lot of evidence that animals raised and slaughtered in certain ways make for healthy meat products. it's the hormones, antibiotics, and problems of mass production that make these products not only a violent attrocity against the animals, but also extremely unhealthy for human consumption. So, meat itself is not the health problem (for most people), it's where the meat comes from and waht's in it (hormones, antibiotics, disease, 'junk foods' and so on) that is the real health problemm for humans.
dairy products are another huge issue. pasturized, fat free dairy products are basicly all sugar. this is horrible. but raw, whole milk is lower in sugar and higher in protien and healthy fats--and therefore healthy for one who would consume it. there are only certain places that produce this kind of milk, and in many places it is illegal to acquire it. also, raw, rennet-free cheese, kefirs, and yogurts are better (health wise) than any soy-based product. they also taste better--if you're going to eat dairy.
I think that if a person is selective in where they get their meat, dairy, and egg products--selective in such a way that they avoid the "factory farm" scenario--then they have an "ethically defensable" omnivore diet. Similarly, they have healthier diets because what they eat comes from high-quality, well cared for sources.
for more information about whole food diets, again check out Weston A. Price foundation: westonaprice.org.
there is lots of information there--and it is well researched with many, many, many quality sources for their nutritional material. they are also an activist organization. while they are not pro vegetarian, it is possible to be a whole foods vegetarian and follow their basic principles regarding whole foods. i do it as an ovo-vegetarian. (heck, even the chickens--pets--where i get my eggs are soy-free!)
anyway, that's my 2 cents. :)
i agree with you that a whole foods, unprocessed diet without supplements is the healthiest. and while i do think that, all other things being equal, a vegan diet is healthier, the benefit may certainly marginal at best when we are talking about a junk food vegan diet vs. a junk food omni diet.
however, i disagree that eating animal products is ethically defensible on the basis that it is necessary for some people to thrive. i do not believe that anyone with access to a wide variety of plant foods needs to eat animal products to thrive or be healthy.
i'm not saying it's absolutely impossible for there to be some incredibly rare disease or condition that makes eating animal products necessary for someone, but i've certainly never heard of any good reason why people need to eat animal products (and i've heard a LOT of bad reasons).
i don't think taking vitamins or supplements is healthy. i prefer to get my nutrients from foods. In order to get adequate B12, A (non-beta carotene), and D without usind supplements, fortified foods, or vitamins, one must consume animal products. Therefore, i consume eggs.
similarly, i have very low cholesterol naturally (did when i was omnivore too!). while i was vegan (and on supplements), i developed a cholesterol level that was considered "dangerously low." we added more saturated fats (via avacados, coconut oil, etc) and exercise (though on average, i exercise roughly 3 hours a day), it didn't work. My next option was an animal-based food source that had cholesterol. I chose eggs. Since then, cholesterol has been normal.
here's my husband's:
psoriosis and many other skin disorders among scandenavians (my husband's familial origins) may have a connection between EFAs, DHA, and the inability to convert beta carotene to vitamin A (DHA is part of this process). When my husband consumes foods high in beta carotene (without DHA), his skin turns orange (this means that there's a beta carotene overload, and the body pushes it out through the skin. this could be for two reasons: 1. beta carotene isn't converting to vitamin a because of a lack of DHA, or 2. he's simply consuming too much beta carotene rich foods). DHA and vitamin a (not beta carotene) are found in animal sources. the best source for this is deep sea, cold water fish (such as cod). my husband consumes cod liver oil, among other fish such as tuna and salmon and since then hasn't had any of the skin problems that plagued him as a child.
so, there are many reasons out there why a person may consume animal products, and choosing products that are sustainably harvested, organicly/biodynamicly and humanely raised or grown (in the case of veggies and fruits).
for me, the simple fact that veganism *requires* supplementation makes it a non-whole foods diet, and therefore not viable. But, if someone else wants to do that--more power to them! :)
What an interesting discussion!
Thisby
lol! but i actually think there's truth to that - i think that the stress caused by living out of sync with your values can be very mentally and physically harmful to a person.
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