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Vegetarian Diet Helps Keep Weight Down

Posted on: Tuesday, 14 March 2006, 18:00 CST

By REBECCA SMITH

SWITCHING to a vegetarian diet can help you stay slim, research shows today.

Scientists at Cancer Research UK carried out a massive study of eating habits and found that people who ate less meat gained less weight over time.

On average, people gained two kilograms over five years, but the lowest gain was in those who reduced their meat intake.

People who consistently ate a lot of meat over five years gained the most weight.

Vegans gained the least, the study in the European Journal Of Obesity shows. Cancer Research UK scientists studied the eating habits of 22,000 meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans of all ages for five years as part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (Epic).

Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK, said: "Epic continues to highlight the importance of diet and exercise in achieving a healthy weight.

"We know that obesity contributes to increasing the risk of cancer as it does to heart disease and diabetes.

"This study suggests that a healthy weight is easier to maintain by switching from meat to eating fish or a totally vegetarian diet."

Source: Evening Standard; London (UK)

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