European Vegetarian Union

Open letter

EUROPEAN VEGETARIAN UNION

22 May 2006

OPEN LETTER

Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary General United Nations
United Nations Plaza
New York
NY 10017
USA

Dear Mr. Secretary General,

On the occasion of a WHO/FAO meeting in Rome, the FAO distributed a press release, dated 18 May 2006, stating that "the EU diet has gradually deteriorated and has become too rich in fats, particularly saturated fats, sugar and cholesterol," thus contributing to the dramatic situation that 400,000 more children become overweight every year.

Rampant obesity threatens Europeans with heart disease, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, respiratory disease, arthritis and certain types of cancer.

Also in the USA, public health is dangerously undermined by the continuing increase in the number of overweight people in the last decade.

During a conference in Brussels on 11-12 May 2006, EU and US have joined forces and developed a common strategy against obesity, which is described by Markos Kyprianou, the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, as the "biggest health threat of the twenty first century". (1)

Sedentary lifestyles certainly play a role in this dramatic situation but, also according the FAO's explanations, diet is a main culprit.

If they are so dangerous, why do people buy an excessive amount of fatty animal products?

The EU-agriculture policy which heavily subsidizes all but vegetable products may be one of the reasons why consumers prefer cholesterol-laden food stuffs over healthier but more expensive fruit and vegetables.

The situation in the US is similar. Mark Muller, Director of Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy's Environment and Agriculture program (2), comments: "If we want to seriously deal with obesity, let's create markets that promote healthy food production and consumption. Right now, farm policy is doing just the opposite."

It is becoming clearer by the day that the research and promotion of alternatives to the traditional meat-based nutrition is long overdue and therefore the undersigned vegetarian organizations appreciate UN's fight against weight. However, we would like to invite FAO/WHO experts to take also the next step, namely examining the benefits of a healthy vegetarian diet (3) which, among many other advantages,

Mr. Secretary General, we stand ready to support any of the United Nation initiatives leading to a promotion of the beneficial and compassionate vegetarian lifestyle which will bring better health to humans and play a crucial part in building a more wholesome world for all.

Yours sincerely

Renato Pichler
President
European Vegetarian Union
http://www.euroveg.eu

3) It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm


This Open Letter is endorsed by:


Luka Oman, President
> Animal Friends Croatia

Ilaria Ferri, Director
Animalisti Italiani Onlus
Rome, Italy

Teri Barnato
> Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights
Davis, California, USA

Marc Bekoff
Professor of Biology at the University of Colorado
Boulder/USA
and is a Fellow of

Marly Winckler, President
> Brazilian Vegetarian Society

> Catholic Concern for Animals-USA
Wayne, NJ, USA

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D., Chair
> Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)
[headquarters] Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Sune Borkfelt, Vice-President
> Dansk Vegetarforening (Danish Vegetarian Society)
Aarhus, Denmark

Caryn Hartglass, Executive Director
> EarthSave International
PO Box 96

Dan Brook, Ph.D.
> Eco-Eating
San Francisco, USA

Gene Bauston, President
> Farm Sanctuary
Watkins Glen, NY, USA

Jan Fredericks, MA, LPC, Licensed Counselor, President
> God's Creatures Ministry
Wayne, NJ, USA

Ruth E. Heidrich, Ph.D.
Author of "Senior Fitness"
Vegan Ironman Triathlete and Marathoner

Lewis Regenstein, President
> The Interfaith Council for the Protection of Animals and Nature (ICPAN)
Atlanta, GA, USA
email: regenstein@mindspring.com

Tina Fox, Chair
> International Vegetarian Union

Marcel Hebbelinck
Prof.em., PhD, Dr.h.c., FACSM
Fac LK/ BIOM (Laboratory of Biometry and Biomechanics)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
e-mail

> Jewish Vegetarians of North America (JVNA)
HQ: Staten island, NY, USA

Roberta Kalechofsky, Ph.D, President
> Jews for Animal Rights
Marblehead, MA 01945

Dr. Pedro de la Fuente, Vice President
> Menschen für Tierrechte - Bundesverband der Tierversuchsgegner e.V.
Aachen, Germany

Patricia Tricker MCIL Cert Ed (FE),
Founder and President
> North Riding Vegetarians
& Vegans
Bedale, UK
e-mail patricia@p-m-t.freeserve.co.uk

Paul Appleby
> Oxford Vegetarians
Oxford, UK

Norm Phelps
Author of "The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights"
Funkstown, Maryland, USA,
e-mail n.phelps@myactv.net

> Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)
Washington, DC 20016, USA

Cristina Rodrigues
> Portuguese Vegetarian Centre
Portugal

Marius-Cristian Vasilescu
> Romanian Vegetarian Society
Bucharest - Romania

Barbara Ruetting
Member of the Bavarian State Parliament
Honorary Board Member European Vegetarian Union

Jill Fritz, President
> San Diego Animal Advocates
San Diego, CA 92116-3207, USA

Richard H. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, College of Staten Island
> Author of _Judaism and Vegetarianism, Judaism and Global Survival_

> Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians (SERV)
HQ: Staten Island, NY, USA

> Swiss Union for Vegetarianism
Neukirch-Egnach, Switzerland

George Rodger (Chair)
> The Vegan Society (UK)
St Leonards-on-Sea
England

Sheila Schwartz, Ed.D., Chairperson
> United Federation of Teachers
Humane Education Committee
New York, NY 10004, USA

Sauraub Dalal, President
> The Vegetarian Union of North America (VUNA)
HQ: Washington, D.C., USA

Ziva Eliezer, Chairperson
> SPCA Hasharon
Raanana, Israel
e-mail ziva0810@Netvision.net

Thomas Schoenberger, President
> Vegetarier-Bund Deutschlands e.V.
30159 Hannover, Germany

Felix Hnat, President
> Vegane Gesellschaft Österreich
Vienna, Austria

M. Nasir
> Vegetarian Association Of Pakistan
Multan, Pakistan

Herma Caelen
> Vegi Info Belgium
Mons, Belgium

 

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