Doctors issue health advisories to promote plant based diet for public health

Keeping in view the rising concerns over the contagion of Covid-19, few doctors from across the country have issued advisories urging people to choose plant-based food options for boosting health and immunity.
These include Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, Deputy Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and Dr Chandrakant Pandav, Former Head of Community Medicine, AIIMS New Delhi.

The doctors’ call has been supported by animal welfare groups People For Animals (PFA), Ahimsa Trust and Mercy For Animals (MFA) who have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.

The groups’ letter point out that a significant amount of research by global bodies such as EAT Lancet, World Economic Forum, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, among others have concluded that increased production and consumption of animal-based foods is detrimental to public health and the environment. While COVID-19 has been traced to a meat market in Wuhan, the conditions in such places are similar to any meat production facility and market in India, reads the letter.

“It is time that the Eat Right Campaign initiated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India highlights and promotes consumption of plant based diet for public health, food security and sustainability. Virulent disease outbreak, including the current global pandemic have been traced to meat markets and production facilities time and again. The current intensive production practices of egg and meat production gravely impact public health”, wrote Gauri Maulekhi, Trustee, People For Animals.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital has said “There is ample evidence from research to prove the role of different forms of meat in causation of several chronic diseases such as type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, coronary heart failure, stroke etc.”

He added “Increased meat consumption also leads to increased water usage, deforestation, water pollution and green-house effects, ultimately leading to global warming.”