WEIGHT CONTROL IN CASE OF OSTEOPOROSIS: THE BENEFIT OF VEGETARIANISM

There are many reasons why some people choose to adopt vegetarianism: sometimes it is because meat is hard to obtain or too expensive; it may be due to religious beliefs, objections to killing animals or a fear of chemicals used to fatten livestock; it may be as a political protest against ‘agribusiness’; some people may simply not care for the taste of meat, or find it difficult to chew with poor teeth. For whatever reason, vegetarianism is becoming increasingly popular, with several supermarket chains and major restaurants catering to the bigger demand for healthy meatless meals.

While care should be taken to avoid deficiencies in certain nutrients, studies of lacto-ovo-vegetarians indicate they have only about half the bone loss of meat-eaters, so the inference is that a high intake of protein from meats may contribute to bone loss. (The problem of high protein intake is covered in the next section.)

Strictly speaking, a vegetarian is a person who refuses to eat meat, poultry or fish. A lacto-vegetarian allows dairy products and an ovo-vegetarian permits eggs; a lacto-ovo-vegetarian eats both milk products and eggs. The most liberal vegetarians are those who eat fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products, fruits and vegetables, but exclude the red meats (beef, lamb or pork).

However, some vegetarianism is more extreme – and the more restrictions are observed, the greater the potential for general undernutrition: a fruitarian is limited to only raw or dried fruits, nuts and sometimes honey. A vegan or strict vegetarian eats only plant food, no animal flesh nor other animal food such as eggs or dairy products. These diets are usually low in calcium and vitamin D when dairy products are not eaten, and the loss is not made up by other sources of calcium found in vegetables. When vegan mothers breast-feed their babies, some cases of rickets (osteomalacia) have occurred, so many are now turning to soya milk that has been fortified with calcium and vitamins.

One of the most restrictive diets is the Zen macrobiotic system of cereals, soups, and hardly any fruits, with a restriction of fluids. Over a period of time, such severe diets can lead to scurvy, anaemia, protein deficiency, loss of kidney function, loss of calcium, with severe bone reduction and emaciation. A recent study in Boston found that growth was retarded in a group of children consuming a strict macrobiotic diet.

For handy guides to healthy meatless eating, read The New Vegetarian by Michael Cox and Desda Crockett (Thorsons), and The Best of Vegetarian Coqking by Janet Hunt (Thorsons).

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