Eating a diet that excludes meat and fish, and sometimes all other animal products. Humans do not need to eat meat or animal products to maintain health as long as the nutrients supplied by plant foods provide a balanced diet (see nutrition). However, people who exclude all animal products (vegans) need to plan their diet carefully or take supplements to avoid vitamin B12 or calcium deficiency.
Vegetarian diets are relatively rich in fibre, which may help protect against
diverticular disease and cancer of the intestine (see colon, cancer of; rectum, cancer of). Vegetarian diets are low in fats, especially saturated fats (which may contribute to coronary artery disease and possibly some forms of cancer). These diets are also likely to contain less sodium and more potassium, and vegetarians tend to have lower blood pressure than people who eat meat. vegetative state A term that is sometimes used to describe a type of indefinite deep coma. Although the eyes may be open and occasional random movements of the head and limbs may occur, there are no other signs of consciousness, and there is no responsiveness to stimuli. Only the basic functions, such as breathing and heartbeat, are maintained.
Restriction of one’s diet, for health, cultural or humanitarian reasons, to foods of fruit or vegetable origin. Most vegetarians, while excluding meat and ?sh from their diets, include foods of animal origin, such as milk, cheese, eggs, and butter. Such a diet should supply an adequate balance of nutrients, although people with special dietary requirements – such as pregnant or feeding mothers, and very strict vegetarians – may require dietary supplements (see APPENDIX
5: VITAMINS).
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