Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
From the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine / Autumn 2010 / Vol. XIX, No. 4 ®
Want to Go Vegan?
There’s an App for That
Ensuring Cosmetics
Testing Bill Supports
Nonanimal Methods
Vegan Diet
Dramatically Improves
GEICO Employees’
Health
iSTOCKPHOTO
trying to make a living. My grandfather
raised cattle, and my uncles and cousins
followed in his footsteps.
Unbeknownst to all of us, researchers had meanwhile set up shop in Framingham, Mass., mea-
suring cholesterol levels and blood pressure, and studying who stayed healthy and who did not in
the Framingham Heart Study. Their painstaking research linked the very foods my family raised to
heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems. Since then, it has become abundantly
clear that meat eating increases the risk of other problems, too. Meat-eaters have three times the
risk of diabetes, compared with vegans. Red and processed meats are clearly linked to colon cancer
and other forms of the disease. The regular string of meat recalls shows us how often fecal bacteria
contaminate meat products, sometimes leading to deadly infections.
But health problems were just the beginning. Environmentalists soon weighed in, pointing out
that grains used to feed cattle could be much more efficiently used to feed people. And growing
massive amounts of feed grains for animals creates havoc for the environment.
Irrigation of feed grains uses far more water than watering our lawns, washing our cars, or any
other routine human activity. It takes about a million gallons of water to grow just one acre of
corn. As that water trickles into rivers and streams, it carries fertilizer along with it—fertilizer that
the farmers had applied to their fields. That fertilizer makes algae overgrow in the waterways. And
as algae decomposes, it uses up oxygen in the water, killing marine life.
Some doctors wonder whether Long before BP fouled the Gulf of Mexico with oil, there was already an
they should recommend that 8,000-square-mile dead zone below Louisiana and Texas, all thanks to
American agriculture.
their patients stop eating
Each cow is as big as a sofa, and in the United States, the combined
meat. The fact is, the jury mass of the 100 million or so beef and dairy cattle easily outweighs that
rendered its verdict long ago. of the human population. Every last one is busily belching methane into
the air—methane that is produced as the feed in their stomachs ferments.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas—much more potent than carbon dioxide.
At any given time, the result is an enormous invisible methane cloud.
Some doctors wonder whether they should recommend that their patients
stop eating meat. Many laypeople wonder if it’s better to set meat aside. The
fact is, the jury rendered its verdict long ago. Whether we are thinking of our
coronary arteries, our children, or the Earth, it is time to rethink our food
choices and act accordingly.
Harry Giglio
PCRM
medical conditions or who are taking medications should discuss any diet and Health Charities . .............................................................................. ext. 384
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Toxicity Testing
MATTEK
to assess the potential for skin damage.
The OECD produces safety-testing
WEIGHT CONTROL
Meat Causes Weight Gain
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Physical Inactivity Does Not Higher Meat Intake Leads to Earlier Puberty for Girls
Cause Weight Gain in Children
A ccording to a new study, girls who
L
eat the most meat products during
ack of physical activity is not the
childhood may have an earlier occur-
cause of weight gain in children,
rence of puberty, increasing their risk of
according to a study in Archives of Dis-
diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and
eases in Childhood. Researchers measured
osteoporosis. Researchers followed 3,298
physical activity and body fat percentage
girls in Bristol, England, and gathered
in 202 children annually from age 7 to
their dietary intakes when they were 3,
age 10. The amount of physical activity
7, and 10 years old. Forty-nine percent
did not result in changes in body fat.
of girls who ate more than 12 portions
Although physical activity is important,
of meat per week started their periods
focusing on food intake may have a larger
by age 12, compared with 35 percent of
impact on weight loss, the researchers
girls who ate fewer than four portions of
concluded.
meat per week.
istockphoto
Metcalf BS, Hosking J, Jeffery AN, Voss LD, Henley W, Wilkin TJ. Fatness
leads to inactivity, but inactivity does not lead to fatness: a longitu- Rogers IS, Northstone K, Dunger DB, Cooper AR, Ness AR, Emmett PM. Diet
dinal study in children (EarlyBird 45). Arch Dis Child. Published ahead throughout childhood and age at menarche in a contemporary cohort
of print June 23, 2010. doi: 10.1136/adc.2009.175927. of British girls. Public Health Nutr. Published ahead of print June 8, 2010.
MENTAL HEALTH
V
Meaty Diets May Fuel Depression egetarians have lower instances against food frequency questionnaires.
of depression, according to a new The vegetarians consumed less eicosap-
study in Nutrition Journal. Researchers entaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic
looked at 60 vegetarians and 78 meat- acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid—all
eaters in the southwestern United States animal sources of essential fatty acids—
and found that vegetarians scored signifi- but reported higher mean intakes of plant
cantly better on standardized mood tests. sources of omega-6 and omega-3.
istockphoto
The mood tests measured depression, Beezhold BL, Johnston CS, Daigle DR. Vegetarian diets are associated
with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day
anxiety, and stress and were compared Adventist adults. Nutr J. 2010;9:26.
Rina Shah, M.D., and her daughter Diya Leslie Brown, M.D. Jay Gordon, M.D. Roberta Gray, M.D.
W
entrenched,” says Roberta Gray, M.D., a PCRM pedia- ith 840 calories, 37 grams of fat, and about as much sodium
trician in Rock Hill, S.C. “Having practiced primarily as a child should consume in an entire day, McDonald’s
in the rural South and Appalachia, where adult and Mighty Kids Meal has topped a list of the five most unhealthful
childhood obesity prevalence has been the highest in fast-food meals marketed to children. The list, based on analysis
the nation for decades, there seems to be a pervasive by PCRM dietitians, also includes meals from Wendy’s, KFC, and
social complacency and acceptance of obesity. All day A&W, as well as Burger King’s just-released BK Kids Breakfast Meal.
eating out of cellophane wrappers is the norm.” “Kids shouldn’t have to dodge cholesterol bombs packaged in
Another recent study confirmed that it’s not sitting colorful, toy-filled boxes,” says PCRM nutrition education director
in front of the TV that makes kids overweight—it’s Susan Levin, M.S., R.D. “We’re losing the war against childhood
the junk-food ads they watch while sitting there. obesity, but fast-food chains are still making obscene profits by
UCLA researchers compared children who watched targeting children with high-fat meals.”
commercial-free programming and DVDs with those Here are the five most unhealthful kids meals, ranked from
watching regular TV with commercials. They found worst to least bad:
that TV watching was associated with increased obesity
rates only among the kids who watched commercials. Rank Five Worst Fast-Food Kids Meals Nutritional Profile
Dr. Gray explains that junk food and fast food per-
McDonald’s Mighty Kids Meal:
meate all aspects of children’s lives, even when they’re 840 calories; 37 grams
Worst Double Cheeseburger, french fries,
of fat
sitting in the doctor’s office. and chocolate milk
“I enter the exam room at 10 a.m. to see my 6-year-
Wendy’s Kids’ Meal:
old, obese, hypertensive patient,” says Dr. Gray, de- 2nd 770 calories; 34 grams
Chicken Sandwich, french fries,
Worst of fat
scribing a typical practice occurrence. “There’s a 1,000 and chocolate Frosty
pound family in this room—mom, dad, maternal
KFC Kids Meal:
grandmother, my patient, and her 4-year-old brother. 3rd
Popcorn chicken, potato wedges,
800 calories; 1,800
The mother tells the children to be good and she’ll take Worst milligrams of sodium
string cheese, and soda
them to Chuck E. Cheese’s. This visit was a follow-up to
A&W Kids Meal:
last month’s visit when they had a lengthy consultation 4th
Cheeseburger, french fries, and
780 calories; 9 grams of
with the pediatric dietitian.” Worst saturated fat
soda
95 milligrams of
Prescription Produce 5th Burger King’s BK Kids: cholesterol; exceeds
Worst Breakfast muffin sandwich meal recommended limit on
Pediatricians and other health care professionals are sodium intake
finding innovative ways to counteract food advertising
and help children develop a taste for fruits, vegetables, ONLINE> Read the complete report: PCRM.org/Health.
whole grains, and other healthful foods. Doctors are
also taking action to improve access to healthful foods.
Doctors at three health centers in Massachusetts believe certain foods are healthful when they are not.
have started handing out “produce prescriptions” to She has been in private practice for 13 years and says
help fight obesity in children in low-income areas. the percentage of overweight and obese patients rises
They give patients’ families coupons to purchase fruits every year.
and vegetables at farmers markets. This program is a Dr. Brown and other PCRM doctors are trying to
new way to compete with the cheap, processed foods give both parents and children a better understanding
on fast-food dollar menus. of nutrition so they know which foods to limit or avoid.
“I think the biggest problem is kids’ access to junk
food and sugary drinks and parents’ unwillingness to An Apple a Day…
limit them,” says Dr. Brown. “I overhear parents of kids
in my practice promising lunch at McDonald’s to make Dr. Shah organized a nutrition seminar for kids like
up for having to come in for a visit.” Jack and their families last summer. Families came once
Dr. Brown says she thinks parents have been led to a week for three weeks and learned about healthy food
from a nutritionist and health educator. The seminars “I talk to my 5-, 10-, 15-year-olds about meat and
also included group counseling. cheese and ask them to think about what would be
“The children were eager to participate and learn better for their Saturday afternoon soccer games,” he
about what was healthy and what was not,” says Dr. says. “I say, ‘If you eat more fruits and vegetables, you
Shah. “I saw Jack in follow up about a month later. He can run faster.’”
was eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, exercising, PCRM pediatricians have also been helping with
and trying to be healthier.” PCRM’s campaign to improve school lunches. They’ve
Dr. Shah also asks patients to keep a food diary. She been speaking out against the fast food and cheap
starts with children as young as first grade and asks them processed meat often served in school lunch lines and
and their families to set their own goals for healthy eat- encouraging Congress to provide schools with more
ing. She finds that children are more willing to make vegetarian commodity options.
changes if they create their goals rather than her telling They want children to have access to healthful foods
them what they need to accomplish. at school, at home, and in their communities so they
Dr. Gordon also starts talking to his patients about will develop eating habits that can help keep them
nutrition at a young age. healthy—and out of the doctor’s office.
P
During the conference’s awards ceremony, PCRM presented the
CRM wants diabetes patients to know about
first PCRM/American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE)
dietary alternatives to dangerous oral diabetes
Foundation award, the Plant-Based Nutrition Education Scholar-
drugs. To ensure that doctors and patients get the
ship. The winner, Julie Mantis, R.N., M.S., manages the diabetes
facts, PCRM filed a suit against the Food and Drug
education program at Community Hospital in Crown Point, Ind. Ms.
Administration this July.
Mantis’ application essay explained how PCRM’s presentations at
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the
the 2009 AADE conference and the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart program
District of Columbia, targets Food and Drug Admin-
helped her switch to a vegan diet and inspire her patients and co-
istration (FDA) commissioner Margaret Hamburg,
workers. Ms. Mantis says she’s now a better athlete and can speak
M.D., for failing to act on a PCRM administrative
confidently about this healthy nutrition option with her patients.
petition. The petition urges the FDA to require that
diabetes drugs carry warning labels telling patients that
low-fat plant-based diets can effectively treat type 2
diabetes without dangerous side effects associated with
oral medications.
A 2006 study funded by the National Institutes of
Health found that a low-fat plant-based diet was as
effective as oral medications at reducing blood glucose
and cholesterol in people with diabetes.
“A plant-based diet is as effective as drugs for lower-
ing blood sugar, and much more effective for trimming
body weight,” says PCRM president Neal Barnard,
M.D. “Doctors and patients need the facts.”
BRENDA DAVIS
Want to Go Vegan?
There’s an App for That
N ow your iPhone can help you get healthy, in addition to amusing you with
games, news, and entertainment. PCRM has launched a free iPhone app
to complement the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart online program.
The Kickstart app provides 21 days of low-fat vegan breakfast, lunch, snack,
and dinner recipes, accompanied by nutrition tips and vibrant photographs of
the recipes. The app allows users to scroll through recipes, check off ingredients,
ONLINE> Download the free iPhone app and sign up for the January Kickstart at 21DayKickstart.org.
But it’s essential to include a source of Responsible Medicine and The George Washington
vitamin B12. And it couldn’t be easier University.
to do.
istockphoto
Unfortunately, the federal
government has ignored ap-
peals from Richardson, phy-
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T
he PCRM Legislative Fund is working to ensure
that new cosmetics testing legislation includes pro-
visions to support the development and use of effective
are concerned they will have to test ingredients such as
lavender and sage in animals.
“Animal tests are not a good way to assess how
nonanimal test methods, an approach that will protect cosmetics ingredients will affect human health,” says
millions of animals and help produce safer products PCRM scientist Nancy Beck, Ph.D. “And even if they
for humans. were, the amount of testing required by this bill is
The Safe Cosmetics Act of 2010, H.R. 5786, was completely unworkable because of the huge number of
introduced in July by Reps. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., animals, laboratory capacity, time, and money required
Edward Markey, D-Mass., and Tammy Baldwin, D- for testing, as well as the resources needed for FDA to
Wis., to overhaul cosmetics regulation. The bill was review all this data.”
introduced within two days of the Toxic Chemicals PCRM is pushing for commonsense safety testing
Safety Act, which PCRM is also working to strengthen, by urging legislators to support testing tailored to an
and is part of a broader trend over the last few years to ingredient rather than a one-size-fits-all checklist. In
improve regulation of chemicals in the environment addition, PCRM scientists are calling for a mandate
and in consumer products. that the FDA and cosmetics companies consider all
Currently, cosmetics are regulated by the Food existing data on an ingredient to determine whether
and Drug Administration (FDA) through the Federal additional information is needed. This approach would
Food, Drug, and Cosmetics reduce animal use while also creating a more efficient
Act (FFDCA). Under the assessment system.
“Animal tests are not a good
FFDCA, cosmetics manu- Although the Safe Cosmetics Act calls for increased
way to assess how cosmetics facturers are responsible for testing, it does include a section that requires the use
ingredients will affect human verifying the safety of their of existing nonanimal alternatives “where practicable.”
products, but they are not This is stronger language than the new chemical testing
health,” says PCRM scientist required to perform par- legislation, which only encourages the use of alternatives.
Nancy Beck, Ph.D. ticular safety tests or gain PCRM is pushing for even stronger provisions in the
approval from the FDA bill to replace animal testing with effective alternatives,
prior to marketing their products. This concerns many including explicit mention of modern toxicity testing
who desire greater oversight of consumer products. approaches such as in vitro and computational methods.
H.R. 5786 would increase regulatory authority, but The European Union recently adopted a new cosmet-
the bill would also require that cosmetics ingredients ics testing model, the Cosmetics Directive, 76/768/
undergo extensive toxicity tests for an array of potential EEC. This legislation has spurred innovation in test
health effects. Although there are acceptable nonanimal method development by gradually banning the use of
methods for certain types of safety tests, much of the animals. The ban effectively prompted the development
mandatory testing called for in this bill would require of several advanced methods to address cosmetics safety.
the use of animals. The testing requirements are so PCRM is urging United States legislators to follow this
far-reaching that companies with all-natural products model.
chitect on the International Space Station, has received more accurate than animal
extensive coverage, including a story in the Houston experiments.
Chronicle.
In September, Evans left a voicemail message for ONLINE> The PCRM Legislative Fund is urging members of Congress to take legislative action
employees at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long against NASA’s proposed experiments. Contact your representative today: PCRMLF.org/NASA.
Island, where the squirrel monkeys will be exposed to
radiation, and McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass.,
where the animals will be housed during the duration
of the experiments.
European Space Agency Opposes
“I’m calling because your employer is responsible for Monkey Experiments
making the final decision on whether to allow NASA
to expose squirrel monkeys to harmful levels of radia-
tion,” said Evans in her voicemail. “Irradiating monkeys
cannot bridge the gap of knowledge critical to enabling
T he European Space Agency recently became the first space
agency to voice clear opposition to primate experimentation.
In April, the agency’s director Jean-Jacques Dordain wrote a letter
long-term human space exploration. There are better to Animal Defenders International stating that the European Space
strategic approaches available for NASA to combat Agency (ESA) “declines any interest in monkey research and does
radiation, such as developing space radiation shielding not consider any need or
technologies to protect our astronauts.” use for such result.”
NASA’s planned experiments involve spending This demonstrates a
$1.75 million to study the effects of a few hours of clear opposition to NASA’s
radiation exposure on 2-pound squirrel monkeys in an proposed monkey radiation experiments. PCRM and other orga-
attempt to determine the effects of months or years of nizations are urging NASA to consider ESA’s views and focus on
space travel on 180-pound human astronauts. PCRM nonanimal research methods relevant to human astronauts.
is pushing the agency instead to allocate this money
16 GOOD
GOOD MEDICINE
MEDICINE Autumn
Autumn 2010
2010
The Cancer Project
The News You Need By Joseph Gonzales, R.D., and Susan Levin, M.S., R.D.
may have a lower risk of breast cancer, according to Ferrucci LM, Sinha R, Ward MH, et al. Meat and
components of meat and the risk of bladder cancer
a recent study published in the American Journal of in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Cancer. Pub-
lished ahead of print August 2, 2010. doi: 10.1002/
Clinical Nutrition. Researchers found that postmeno- cncr.25463.
www.CancerProject.org
The Cancer Project is a PCRM program that advances cancer prevention
and survival through nutrition education and research.
iSTOCKPHOTO
Here are the first five:
3 Invite your Facebook friends to
become fans of PCRM’s page
needed to take
action for people
iSTOCKPHOTO
Help Us Grow! (Facebook.com/Doctors.Care). and animals.
1 Bring your
physician a copy
of Good Medicine
Thank you for your continued support!
18
18
18 GOOD MEDICINE
GOOD MEDICINE Autumn 2010
GOOD MEDICINE Autumn
2010
Autumn 2010
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Emotional Intelligence
Like humans, animals have emotions that may tell them how dangerous their world is,
according to a new review published online in the Royal Society’s Proceedings B: Biological
Sciences. Animals regularly threatened by predators will develop a negative “mood,” researchers
found, while the opposite is true of animals in a less-threatening environment.
Physician Profile
Trauma Training the Dr. Crandall teaches at Northwestern Uni-
versity, students use patient scenarios with
Dr. Crandall says that although
wounds “can be interesting and dramatic,
Modern Way moulage volunteers and human simulators they are not the target of any immediate
to learn and practice critical procedures. intervention other than wound coverage,
Marie Crandall, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S. splinting fractured extremities, and hold-
“The value of the simulators is that they
have interchangeable, replaceable parts,” ing pressure to control hemorrhage.”
T rauma surgeon Marie Crandall, says Dr. Crandall. “One simulator can be She explains that these procedures—
M.D., cares for seriously injured used for 15 students to place chest tubes, and other, more important procedures—
patients at Northwestern Memorial Hos- just by exchanging the chest wall for a can be taught using nonanimal methods.
pital in Chicago. She operates on patients fresh one. The anatomic correctness and “What is really important is the recog-
with life-threatening injuries, such as stab tissue feel are absolutely unparalleled.” nition and management of immediately
wounds to the heart or ruptured spleens. Dr. Crandall has played a central role life-threatening injuries that occur to the
And she learned all of her surgical skills in PCRM’s campaign to end the mili- airway, lungs, heart, and great vessels,”
using methods based on human anatomy, tary’s use of animals in trauma training. explains Dr. Crandall. “Trauma training
not animal anatomy. In August, she flew to San Antonio to with simulation can optimally teach pro-
“Animals were not a regular part of sur- demonstrate trauma procedures on a viders necessary surgical skills and provide
gical training at my residency program,” human-patient simulator, SimMan, for a both tactile and computer-simulated
says Dr. Crandall. “Training consisted al- reporter interested in the campaign. She feedback for learners that can be practiced
most solely of a graduated apprenticeship also has attended congressional meetings and repeated, similar to the simulation
model of slowly increasing responsibility to urge her members of Congress to sup- training utilized by fighter pilots.”
for patient care. Advanced Trauma Life port the BEST Practices Act, the bill that From the critical injuries she
Support was taught using animals, but by would require the military to replace the sees and treats every day, Dr.
the time I was a trauma fellow, Trauma- use of animals with simulators and other Crandall knows how crucial it
Man was being used. As technology has human-based methods. is that all trauma trainees have a
advanced, simulation and other high- “Many branches of the military are complete, accurate understanding
retention, risk-reduced methods have already setting the standard for simulation- of human anatomy.
become a vital part of surgical education.” based medical education,” says Dr. Cran-
Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) dall. “Other military leaders feel that wound
is a two-day course for advanced practitio- care instruction in the field can only be
ners to learn the evaluation and stabiliza- mimicked by real wounds—thus they use
tion of trauma patients. In the ATLS course animals and inflict wounds on them.”
With postage, printing, and handling expenses, each returned copy of Good Medicine costs PCRM more
Please keep than $2. Over the year, this adds up to thousands of lost dollars. If your address has changed, please
in touch. let us know promptly.
addresschanges@pcrm.org or 202-686-2210, ext. 304 printed on recycled paper
24 GOOD MEDICINE Autumn 2010