New Study, from WebMD-I love it!! Ashley, you will too!
#189530 - 06/27/05 11:32 AM
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_Willow
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 2090
Loc: Canada.
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Hi !
June 27, 2005
Vegetarian Women Weigh Less Than Meat-Eaters By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Women who eat little or no meat are less likely to be overweight than their more carnivorous peers, according to a new study.
The findings, say researchers, suggest that replacing some meat and other animal products with plant-based fare may help people control their weight.
The study of more than 55,000 Swedish women found that those who identified themselves as vegetarian or vegan tended to weigh less than meat-eaters, and were less likely to be overweight or obese.
The vegetarian group included women who ate no meat, fish or eggs but did consume dairy products (lactovegetarians), as well as "semivegetarians," who said they sometimes ate fish or eggs. Vegans eat no animal products, including dairy.
In the study, self-proclaimed vegans were two-thirds less likely than meat-eaters to be overweight or obese, while the two vegetarian groups were about half as likely as meat-eaters to be overweight -- even with other factors, such as age, exercise and total calorie intake, taken into account.
While this was not a weight-loss study, the findings do suggest that a plant-based diet may aid in weight control, according to P. Kirstin Newby, a researcher at Tufts University in Boston.
But that doesn't necessarily mean shunning meat and other animal products, she told Reuters Health, noting that semivegetarians in the study had a lower risk of being overweight.
The study, in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, included 55,459 healthy middle-aged and older women who were surveyed about their eating habits, weight and other health and lifestyle factors. A small percentage identified themselves as vegan or vegetarian.
Overall, vegans had the lowest average body mass index (BMI) -- a measure of weight in relation to height -- followed by vegetarians, then meat-eaters. While 40 percent of meat-eaters were overweight or obese, only 25 to 29 percent of vegetarians and vegans were, Newby and her colleagues report.
The findings, they point out, run counter to the current "fad" of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets.
That vegetarians are leaner than meat-eaters, according to the researchers, highlights the fact that not all carbohydrates are equal. A diet of fiber-rich carbs like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, they note, differs from one loaded with refined carbohydrates such as those in white bread and snack foods.
"Plant foods are generally high-carb," Newby said, "but they also contain a lot of fiber -- which helps you to feel full -- and they also have other nutrients that are important to overall health."
Because these nutrients may help ward off heart disease and cancer, she noted, there are "lots of good reasons" besides weight control to eat a plant-based diet.
For people who do eat animal products, Newby added, it's important to limit saturated fat by choosing lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products.
SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2005.
Reuters 2005. All Rights Reserved.
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Yeah, I would definitely say that being a vegetarian keeps me thinner than a lot of my friends and relatives- even when I go through periods of being bad and not watching what I eat. Of course, so does IBS.
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HI SHANNON!! thanks for posting that i came across a very similar article talking about the same stats--hehe
-------------------- VEGAN ASHLEY~IBS/C
www.myspace.com/dutchflowers
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hm....
#190404 - 06/29/05 08:32 PM
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_Willow
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 2090
Loc: Canada.
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what the heck's my problem then??I'm 50 lbs OVERWEIGHT!! Maybe I should just go vegg.....it's politically tough to do when your hubby owns a steakhouse though, LOL!
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Shannon! Try a vegetarian steak, i.e. a portabella mushroom. Seriously. Maybe your hubby will put them on the menu. They're really MEATY. Honestly. I think I've got a vegetarian steakhouse downstairs in the fridge. I wished you'd adopt some more Bart Simpson-ism's and "Don't have a cow!" Maybe eating what the cow's eat would be more politically acceptable as an alternative?
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I don't think that restaurants like the Outback can individually choose what to serve- I think they're stuck with a corporate mandated menu. But I could be wrong. Not so sore?
Also, we love portabellas- but it's easy to get sick of them fast when they're EVERYONE's alternative for vegetarians.
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I'm starting to get sick of portabellas, too. I'm considering a hiatus. These days, more than anything, I'm craving Thai food, especially their soups!!! I'm also craving carrots, beets, swiss chard. Colour!
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Mmmm.....
#191067 - 07/02/05 10:55 AM
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_Willow
Reged: 04/06/05
Posts: 2090
Loc: Canada.
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I was just thinking of those and how yummy they are. Unfortunately, Trev's just one guy, and he's one boss of one outback of 20 in Canada, and 1000 in the world!! But I'll pass the idea along. It'd be nice to give veggies and vegans a choice.
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You know what? I so very seldom eat red meat, it's not even funny. I wouldn't miss it. I do, however, eat chicken and do enjoy it. And seafood. Please don't hate me. Who knows what will happen over the next few years tho.
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werw a good ramen alt. was a genius because they're SOOO good. Was that you Wind??
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