USA: Cutting meat from diet could limit disease, health-care costs

According to Monday's report by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the national cost of medical care escalated to $1.9 trillion in 2004. This represents a 7.9% increase from the previous year, or nearly three times the 2.7% rate of inflation.

The cost of medical care now accounts for a record 16% of our gross domestic product and ruins the profitability and international competitiveness of our industries. In personal terms, it amounts to $6,500 for every American, or $15,500 per household. It represents a major financial burden, lost productivity, personal misery and premature death.

The real tragedy is most of the diseases associated with the outrageous cost of medical care are self-inflicted - through flawed lifestyles. These include inactivity, smoking, substance abuse and meat consumption.

Yes, meat consumption. According to the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, nearly 1.4 million Americans are disabled, then killed prematurely each year by heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and other chronic diseases that have been linked conclusively with consumption of animal products. That accounts for 56% of all deaths, and presumably, for a similar percentage of medical costs....

Source: Cutting meat from diet could limit disease, health-care costs

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