Subj: NNF - Vegetarian Low Road Date: 9/9/2002 8:16:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time From: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> To: <A HREF="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A> Sent from the Internet (Details) September 10, 2002 NUTRITION NEWS FOCUS "Nutrition news is important. We help you understand it!" Today's Topic: Vegetarian Low Road An animal rights group in England has been ordered to halt alarmist and unsubstantiated claims about the risks of eating meat. The Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (VIVA) was ordered by the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to stop claiming that meat eaters are at greater risk of dying from heart disease and stroke. The ASA said there was not enough evidence to support claims that meat eaters were more likely to die from killer diseases. The organization accepted the data that an affluent diet (excess calories, high in fat and sugar while low in fiber-rich foods) increased the risk of chronic diseases, but there was no evidence that eating meat had a similar effect. < <A HREF="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2192666.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2192666.stm</A> > HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: There have been many studies of vegetarians versus meat-eaters. Only a few have shown a benefit of the no-meat lifestyle but, invariably, the benefits were ascribed to other lifestyle factors such as less smoking, less overweight, more exercise, and eating more fruits and vegetables. VIVA was unconvinced by the ruling and claimed to have provided hundreds of pieces of scientific evidence.