Less meat in diet makes healthful sense

ANDREW PETUCHOV | Olympia • Published January 02, 2013 Modified January 01, 2013

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This year’s developments have certainly vindicated those of us who care about our health, our environment, and our treatment of animals. In January, first lady Michelle Obama unveiled revamped federal guidelines requiring school cafeterias to serve more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less sodium and animal fat. In March, a study involving nearly 38,000 men and 84,000 women by the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that one daily serving of meat is associated with a 13-20 percent increase in the risk of death from heart disease or cancer.

The American Journal of Preventive Medicine estimates that prevalence of obesity among American adults will escalate to 42 percent by 2030, with a $550 billion increase in medical costs.

The Humane Society exposed unconscionable atrocities among three pig producers in Oklahoma and a Pennsylvania egg farm. It’s little wonder that 7 percent of Americans consider themselves vegetarian or vegan and 28 percent are actively reducing their meat consumption, leading to a 12 percent drop in United States consumption since 2007. We should all consider following suit for this New Year’s resolution. Entering “live vegan” in a search engine brings tons of recipes and other useful information.

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