Published Letters and Op-Eds from
COK’s Writers Group

Pass the Celery, Shed the Pounds

Published in The Gazette on July 11, 2003.

Using obesity as a factor when calculating insurance rates may be controversial, but it’s a fact that obesity results in an increased risk of a multitude of health problems, which is a pretty big incentive to shed those extra pounds (“Fat attack,” June 27).

Losing weight is difficult for many though, especially in our fast food culture. But there is one easy way to improve your health while also helping animals and the environment: adopt a vegetarian diet.

Vegetarian diets have been shown to reduce risks of cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Plus, researchers have found that on average, vegetarians are 10 percent leaner than meat-eaters.

The American Dietetic Association states, that for those trying to combat obesity, “It is much easier to lose weight on a plant-centered diet than on a meat-centered diet. Many people, when first adopting a vegetarian diet, lose several pounds without trying and without going hungry.”

Erica Meier, Mount Rainier, Md.