Incentives to Go Vegan Will Reduce Disease, Lower Health-Care Costs, Says Group

For Immediate Release:

October 22, 2009

Contact:

Kate Brindle 757-622-7382

Raleigh, N.C. -- Today, PETA dispatched a letter to Jack Walker, Ph.D., executive administrator of the North Carolina State Health Plan, explaining how the agency could save millions of dollars in claims by providing its policyholders with incentives to adopt a healthy vegan diet. In light of the state's new policy of charging higher insurance rates to smokers and overweight employees, PETA urges Walker to lower vegans' premiums.

"The range of serious diseases linked to eating meat and dairy products adds up to a huge financial toll," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "By encouraging policyholders to go vegan, the North Carolina State Health Plan would save on claims, employers would see less absenteeism because of illnesses related to the consumption of meat and dairy products, and policyholders would avoid high premiums."

PETA's letter to Dr. Jack Walker, executive administrator of the North Carolina State Health Plan, follows. For more information, please visit PETA.org.

October 22, 2009

Jack W. Walker, Ph.D.

Executive Administrator

State Health Plan of North Carolina

Dear Dr. Walker,

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 2 million members and supporters, including tens of thousands across North Carolina, with a suggestion to help the state cut its health-care costs. In addition to your new policy of charging higher insurance rates to smokers and overweight employees, we recommend offering an insurance discount to employees who follow a vegan diet.

Vegans, who are far less likely to be overweight and far more likely to be in better overall health, generally incur far fewer health-care costs than their flesh-eating counterparts. In a new study, the American Dietetic Association concluded that vegetarian diets “provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” They also state that “a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease” and that vegetarians “have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates.”

As you might know, vegans get all the protein, vitamins, and fiber that they need without the artery-clogging cholesterol and saturated animal fat found in meat, dairy products, and eggs. William Castelli, M.D., director of the Framingham Heart Study--the longest-running clinical study in medical history--concluded that “[v]egetarians have the best diet. They have the lowest rates of coronary disease of any group in the country ... they have a fraction of our heart attack rate, and they have only 40 percent of our cancer rate.”

Not only would encouraging state employees to go vegan save North Carolina and its workers money, it would also help save animals and the environment. Chickens, fish, cows, and pigs feel pain and fear just as the animals we share our homes with do, yet they are abused in ways that could be illegal if dogs and cats were the victims.

The health of state employees, and the health of North Carolina’s bottom line, will benefit if you encourage a vegan diet through lower insurance rates. And to help state employees get started, we would be happy to supply your office with a bulk shipment of our free “Vegetarian Starter Kit”--which is packed full of delicious recipes--for you to distribute. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely, 

Tracy Reiman

Executive Vice President