4 pp. / Revision of 2001 title by Misner

Diet and lifestyle choices play a vital role in the overall health of an individual. There are many types of diets with varying instructions on what kind and how much of a food, or food group, should be eaten. This cross sectional study focused on possible health benefits of a vegetarian diet in regards to the body composition of non-vegetarian and vegetarian women. Total meat, poultry, seafood, and fish (MPSF) intake were separated into three categories to compare low-to-very-low, moderate, and high intake. Anthropometric measurements collected included waist to hip ratio (WHR), weight, height, and percentage of body fat. No significant differences were found between the vegetarian and non-vegetarian categories BMI, body fat percentage, or WHR. Conclusions found by previous research were not supported by the results of this research. Factors including geographic location and socioeconomic status could impact the availability of healthy food for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

Thesis advisor: Juliet Schor / This study investigates the barriers to adopting vegetarian and vegan diets. Why do people who try to adopt these diets fail to maintain them? Why do people who identify as vegetarian or vegan allow exceptions in their diets? This study used a series of intensive interviews and a survey to answer these research questions. Interviews and survey responses revealed the following barriers to maintaining vegetarianism/veganism: social barriers, a lack of vegetarian/vegan options, a loss of a “black-and-white” perspective on diet, nutritional barriers, personal cravings, time barriers, and a tendency to subscribe to gendered meanings of meat eating. Social barriers were the most salient challenges for study participants. Participants indicated that they commonly encountered several types of social barriers while attempting to maintain vegetarian/vegan diets. This study concluded that cultural norms must change in order for people to find vegetarian/vegan diets more viable. Most significantly, this study found that having a supportive social network of people who adhere to a similar diet is extremely important for people as they try to maintain vegetarianism/veganism. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Sociology.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is metabolized through a series of remethylation and transsulphuration processes that require the co-factors vitamins B6, folate (the nutrient derived from food, and folic acid is supplemental), and B12. Homocysteine metabolism results in the production of creatine (Cr). By way of negative feedback creatine supplements could potentially decrease Hcy production. Low dietary intake of vitamins and creatine, often a consequence of a vegetarian diet may also increase serum Hcy concentrations. It was therefore the purpose of this study to examine the effect of a five day creatine loading period (0.25 g Cr/kg lean body mass (LBM)/day) in female vegetarians (VG) (n=9, age 25 ± 3.6) and non-vegetarians (NV) (n=11, age 24 ± 5.9) on serum levels of Hcy, vitamins B6 and B12, whole blood folate, and on a number of fitness measures known to be positively affected by creatine supplementation: peak torque and average power during leg extensions; one repetition maximum (1RM) bench and leg press; peak power during repeated Wingate anaerobic tests. Aside from a difference in change scores for leg press, there were no differences between dietary groups for the fitness measures, and therefore the participants were pooled for comparisons between time points. Urinary creatine was significantly greater following the five day loading period (81 ± 113 vs. 647 ± 421 µmol). In contrast, urinary creatinine did not change. A significant increase in plasma vitamin B6 (pyridoxal 5-phosphate) was found (72 ± 24 vs. 94 ± 24 nmol/L) (p < 0.05), although there were no between group differences. Serum Hcy, vitamin B12, and whole blood folate levels did not change significantly over time in either group. Participants showed significant increases post-loading in bench press (45 ± 13 vs. 48 ± 12 kg.) and leg press (116 ± 35 vs. 125 ± 40 kg) (p < 0.05). Changes scores for leg press were greater for the vegetarian participants when compared with non-vegetarians (16 ± 16 vs. 3 ± 9 kg). Significant improvements post-loading were also noted for peak torque (85.0 ± 15.0 vs. 91.8 ± 12.9 Nm) and average power (99.5 ± 14.4 vs. 107.1 ± 14.8 W) (p < 0.05). Peak power during repeated Wingate anaerobic tests also significantly improved in response to the intervention (449.2 ± 92.6 vs. 472.4 ± 103.5 W) (p < 0.05). This response did not differ however between the two diet groups. These results suggest that a five day creatine loading protocol similarly affects fitness performance measures in both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There was no significant effect of the supplementation protocol on serum Hcy concentration, suggesting that the supplemented creatine did not decrease the reformation of Hcy, as originally hypothesized.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is metabolized through a series of remethylation and transsulphuration processes that require the co-factors vitamins B6, folate (the nutrient derived from food, and folic acid is supplemental), and B12. Homocysteine metabolism results in the production of creatine (Cr). By way of negative feedback creatine supplements could potentially decrease Hcy production. Low dietary intake of vitamins and creatine, often a consequence of a vegetarian diet may also increase serum Hcy concentrations. It was therefore the purpose of this study to examine the effect of a five day creatine loading period (0.25 g Cr/kg lean body mass (LBM)/day) in female vegetarians (VG) (n=9, age 25 ± 3.6) and non-vegetarians (NV) (n=11, age 24 ± 5.9) on serum levels of Hcy, vitamins B6 and B12, whole blood folate, and on a number of fitness measures known to be positively affected by creatine supplementation: peak torque and average power during leg extensions; one repetition maximum (1RM) bench and leg press; peak power during repeated Wingate anaerobic tests. Aside from a difference in change scores for leg press, there were no differences between dietary groups for the fitness measures, and therefore the participants were pooled for comparisons between time points. Urinary creatine was significantly greater following the five day loading period (81 ± 113 vs. 647 ± 421 µmol). In contrast, urinary creatinine did not change. A significant increase in plasma vitamin B6 (pyridoxal 5-phosphate) was found (72 ± 24 vs. 94 ± 24 nmol/L) (p < 0.05), although there were no between group differences. Serum Hcy, vitamin B12, and whole blood folate levels did not change significantly over time in either group. Participants showed significant increases post-loading in bench press (45 ± 13 vs. 48 ± 12 kg.) and leg press (116 ± 35 vs. 125 ± 40 kg) (p < 0.05). Changes scores for leg press were greater for the vegetarian participants when compared with non-vegetarians (16 ± 16 vs. 3 ± 9 kg). Significant improvements post-loading were also noted for peak torque (85.0 ± 15.0 vs. 91.8 ± 12.9 Nm) and average power (99.5 ± 14.4 vs. 107.1 ± 14.8 W) (p < 0.05). Peak power during repeated Wingate anaerobic tests also significantly improved in response to the intervention (449.2 ± 92.6 vs. 472.4 ± 103.5 W) (p < 0.05). This response did not differ however between the two diet groups. These results suggest that a five day creatine loading protocol similarly affects fitness performance measures in both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. There was no significant effect of the supplementation protocol on serum Hcy concentration, suggesting that the supplemented creatine did not decrease the reformation of Hcy, as originally hypothesized.

No description available.

abstract: In 2002, a scientifically derived food guide pyramid for vegetarians, the Modified Food Guide for Lacto-ovo-vegetarians and Vegans was published and well received. Now that 10 years have passed, new scientific literature regarding the bioavailability of the nutrients of key concern in vegetarian diets has been published, and the graphical format of the nation's food guide has evolved from a pyramid shape into a circular plate. The objective of this research was to examine the post-2002 literature regarding the bioavailability of key nutrients in vegetarian diets; to use this information to update the recommendations made in the 2002 Modified Food Guide Pyramid for Lacto-ovo-vegetarians and Vegans; and to adapt this revised food plan to the new USDA MyPlate format. This process involved reviewing the scientific literature to determine if the DRIs for the nutrients of key concern in vegetarian diets are adequate for the vegetarian population and using this information to develop new recommendations for vegetarians if necessary, analyzing the nutrient content of representative foods in different food groups, reconfiguring the food groups so that foods with like nutrient components were grouped together, determining the number of servings of each food group required to meet vegetarians' nutrient requirements at three caloric levels, and developing sample menus. A circular plate graphic, the Vegetarian Plate, was designed to illustrate the recommendations of this updated food guide. This updated, scientifically derived food guide provides a sound base for diet planning for lacto-ovo-vegetarians and vegans. Further research is needed to assess the Vegetarian Plate's adequacy for children, pregnant and lactating women, athletes, and individuals with medical conditions or chronic diseases. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Nutrition 2013

Det uppskattas att 15 % av utsläppen av växthusgaser kommer frånanimalieproduktion och ett effektivt sätt för att uppnå klimatmålen är att ändra och minska vårkonsumtion av kött- och mejeriprodukter. Den vegetariska kosten har blivit allt mer populärbland dagens ungdomar och många ungdomar väljer bort köttet, det finns dock fortfarande ettmotstånd bland en del ungdomar till att äta mer vegetariskt. Denna kvalitativa studie syftar tillatt undersöka ungdomars syn på vegetarianer och vegetarianism. Data samlades in genomsemistrukturerade intervjuer med tolv ungdomar. Materialet analyserades med induktivtematisk analys som genererade i fyra huvudteman Engagemang för djur och natur,Vegetarianismens två sidor, Normbrytande eller ej, Vegetarianer är feminina och enkärnkategori: I gränslandet. Studiens resultat visar att ungdomar har en mångfacetterad ochambivalent syn där både positiva och negativa aspekter gällande vegetarianer ochvegetarianism lyfts. Då tidigare forskning främst funnit att det finns en negativ syn påvegetarianer och vegetarianism och då resultatet av denna studie visar på en mångfacetteradoch ambivalent syn hos samtliga ungdomar, kan detta tyda på att synen på vegetarianer ochvegetarianism är i förändring. Denna studie bidrar till att öka kunskapen gällande synen påvegetarianer och vegetarianism. / It is estimated that 15 % of greenhouse gas emissions come from animal productionand an effective way to achieve the climate goals is to change and reduce our consumption ofmeat and dairy products. The vegetarian diet has increased in popularity among adolescentsand many adolescents are opting out of the meat, however, there is still resistance amongsome adolescents to eat more vegetarian food. This qualitative study aims to investigateadolescents view of vegetarians and vegetarianism. Data was collected through semistructuredinterviews with twelve adolescents. The data was analyzed with inductive thematicanalysis which generated four main themes: Dedication To Animals and Nature, Two Sides ofVegetarianism, Norm-Breaking or Not, Vegetarians are Feminine and a core category: On theBorder Country. The results of the study indicate that adolescents have a multifaceted andambivalent view where both positive and negative aspects regarding vegetarians andvegetarianism are raised. As previous research has primarily found a negative view onvegetarians and vegetarianism and since the multifaceted and ambivalent view that waspresent in this study was found among all adolescents, this may indicate that the view onvegetarians and vegetarianism is changing. The present study helps to increase the knowledgeabout the view on vegetarians and vegetarianism.

In this thesis I argue that the major philosophical arguments in the field of animal ethics, as it has developed in the twentieth century, are inadequate without a robust theological foundation. While these arguments for greater moral respect for animals have acquired some cultural purchase in relation to systematic abuses of animals in factory farming and some forms of hunting, they lack the resources for articulating the many complexities inherent in human relationships with other animals. These positions, expounded most prominently by Peter Singer and Tom Regan, seek to extend to animals the moral frames of earlier Enlightenment thinkers and are thus bound by the same concerns and constraints; they therefore do not sufficiently problematise the modern distinction between humans and other animals that has advanced the modern mistreatment of animals to a degree of systematic cruelty unknown in human history. I argue that the Christian tradition has richer resources for articulating human moral relationships with other animals – and for problematising the modern framing of the human-animal distinction – than these secular theories possess on their own. This is by no means the first theological foray into the field of animal ethics. Previous theological accounts, however, still work predominantly within the confines set by secular philosophers. For example, Andrew Linzey clearly articulates his concept of “Theos-rights” for animals from within the conceptual framework of deontological categories. I will argue instead that a richer theological account of human relationships with other animals can be made by embracing the foundational love ethic found in Christianity. The Christian category of neighborly love represents a normative moral position in its own right rather than a simple addition to or reinterpretation of earlier consequentialist or deontological accounts. Using the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), I outline a theologically informed animal ethic in which animals are seen as potential neighbors. My argument proceeds in two stages. The first and largest section identifies and explores three themes key to interpreting the parable with a view toward animal ethics. First, I explore the theme of responsibility and employ the thought of Emil Brunner and Karl Barth in asking to what degree humans, as imago Dei, are responsible for their relationships with animals. Second, I argue for the importance of caring in human moral encounters with animals. Here, I explore the similarities and deficiencies of feminist theory in relation to the Christian concept of neighborly love. Third, I consider the moral relevance of nearness, or proximity, in human relationships with animals. Here, I outline the different responsibilities inherent in human relationships with wild, domestic working, and pet animals. After expounding these three themes, the second stage of my thesis employs them in critiquing two specific theological issues. I first compare the Christian concept of dominion over animals found in Genesis 1:28 with competing claims from Christian stewardship ethics and environmental land ethics. Then, primarily in conversation with Barth, I conclude with a discussion of the theological arguments for and against Christian vegetarianism.

Bakgrund I dagens samhälle finns det en uppfattning om manlighet och vad det innebär att vara man. Att äta kött har kommit att kopplas samman med manlighet och styrka, och forskning visar att mäns beteende- och konsumtionsmönster påverkas av vad som anses förstärka den upplevda manligheten. Det är därför intressant att undersöka varför vissa män aktivt väljer bort kött i sin kosthållning. Syfte Syftet med studien var att med hjälp av intervjuer utforska och förstå hur nuvarande samhällsnormer påverkar män som aktivt valt bort kött och/eller animaliska produkter. Metod Studien utfördes med kvalitativ forskningsmetod, där sex individuella intervjuer genomfördes. Resultaten analyserades sedan med kvalitativ innehållsanalys enligt Graneheim och Lundman. Resultat Samtliga informanter hade upplevt en samhällsnorm som innebar att de förväntades att äta kött. De menade att denna norm påverkade dem då deras normbrytande ofta innebar att de blev ifrågasatta. Det framkom under intervjuerna att informanterna även ansåg det finnas en koppling mellan kostval och könsroller. De upplevde att kött och manlighet har en stark korrelation och majoriteten ansåg att vissa kostmönster var mer relaterade till kvinnlighet. Slutsats Det finns en köttnorm i dagens samhälle som påverkar de män som valt en vegetarisk kost/vegankost. Denna norm kan upplevas starkt etablerad, och det är därför viktigt att vara medveten om den och dess inverkan. / Background In society today, there is an idea of manliness and what it means to be a man. Meat has come to be associated with masculinity and strength, and research shows that the behavioral and consumption patterns of men are influenced by what they consider to enhance their perceived masculinity. It is therefore interesting to examine why certain men actively choose to exclude meat from their diet, regardless of potential pressures. Objective The objective of this study was to, with the use of interviews, explore and understand how current societal norms affect men who actively excluded meat and/or animal products. Method The study was executed as qualitative research, where six individual interviews were carried out. The results were later analyzed according to qualitative content analysis by Graneheim and Lundman. Results All of the informants had experienced a societal norm that expected them to eat meat. They meant that this norm affected them, since they often found themselves being questioned. The analysis showed that the informants felt that there was a connection between food choices and gender roles. They experienced that meat and masculinity had a strong correlation and the majority considered some dietary patterns exclusively related to femininity. Conclusion There is a “meat-eating norm” in today’s society that affects men who have chosen a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. This norm could be considered quite established, and it is therefore important to be aware of it and its influence.