Eating meat and not vaccinating: In defense of the analogy.

The devastating impact of the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is prompting renewed scrutiny of practices that heighten the risk of infectious disease. One such practice is refusing available vaccines known to be effective at preventing dangerous communicable diseases. For reasons of preventing individual harm, avoiding complicity in collective harm, and fairness, there is a growing consensus among ethicists that individuals have a duty to get vaccinated. I argue that these same grounds establish an analogous duty to avoid buying and eating most meat sold today, based solely on a concern for human welfare. Meat consumption is a leading driver of infectious disease. Wildlife sales at wet markets, bushmeat hunting, and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are all exceptionally risky activities that facilitate disease spread and impose immense harms on human populations. If there is a moral duty to vaccinate, we also should recognize a moral duty to avoid most meat. The paper concludes by considering the implications of this duty for policy.

Ethical concerns regarding animal use mediate the relationship between variety of pets owned in childhood and vegetarianism in adulthood.

Plant-based and vegetarian diets have been shown to have diverse health and environmental benefits and also serve to reduce farmed animal exploitation. It is therefore worthwhile to gain a better understanding of the factors that play a role in the decision to refrain from animal products. Past studies have shown that childhood pet ownership predicts the likelihood of adherence to a vegetarian diet in adulthood. Building on this research, we tested the hypothesis that the number of different types of pets owned in childhood is positively associated with degree of restriction of animal products in adulthood, and that this relationship is mediated by pro-animal attitudes. A self-selected convenience sample of 325 participants (77.2% female; mean age = 30.23 ± 12.5) reported on their vegetarian status and completed the Animal Advocacy Scale and Child Pet Ownership Questionnaire. The number of different pets owned in childhood was positively correlated with degree of vegetarianism in adulthood (p < 0.001), but was no longer a significant predictor when controlling for moral opposition to animal exploitation. A significant Sobel test (z = 4.36; p < 0.001) confirmed the presence of full mediation. Findings support the hypothesis that individuals who owned a greater variety of pets in childhood endorse more concerns regarding animal use. This, in turn, appears to predict the decision to refrain from animal products in adulthood. The possibility that an enhanced ability to generalize empathy from companion to laboratory, farm, and wildlife animals underlies this relationship should be examined in future research.

Vegetarian on purpose: Understanding the motivations of plant-based dieters.

Much recent research has explored vegetarians' dietary motivations, recurrently highlighting the significant influence they exert on how people view themselves and others. For vegetarians and other plant-based dieters, dietary motivations have been theorized to be a central aspect of identity. Yet not all plant-based dieters are motivated to follow their diets; rather, some face aversions and constraints. In this paper, we propose that motivations, aversions, and constraints constitute three distinct reasons for consuming a plant-based diet. After conceptually distinguishing motivations from aversions and constraints, we critically evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of two conceptual frameworks that exist for studying these motivations systematically: the ethical-health framework and the Unified Model of Vegetarian Identity (UMVI) motivational orientations framework. Importantly, these frameworks serve different purposes, and their suitability often depends on the research question at hand. Particularly given an increasing prevalence of plant-based dieting, cultivating a more holistic understanding of these two frameworks is necessary for advancing this discipline. Directions for future research are discussed.

Not appropriate dinner table conversation? Talking to children about meat production.

Although Australians on average consume large quantities of meat, their attitudes to farm animal welfare are poorly understood. We know little about how farm animal production is discussed in Australian households or how children learn about the origins of meat. This study consisted of an online survey completed by 225 primary carers throughout Australia recruited through social media. Findings include that conversations about the origin of meat were generally stimulated by meal preparation within the home rather than visits to agricultural shows or similar activities. Parents preferred to initiate conversations with children about meat production before they were 5 years of age. Urban parents were more likely than rural parents to reveal that they were conflicted about eating meat and would be more empathetic to children who chose to stop eating meat. Rural parents were more likely than urban parents to feel that children should eat what they are given and that talking about meat is not a major issue. Both groups felt that it was important that children should know where their food comes from. The findings of this study suggest that parental attitudes to meat production and consumption influence conversations about meat origins with children.

Cap a una alimentació ètica. Aproximació teòrico-pràctica a les dietes vegetarianes / Hacia una alimentación ética. Aproximación teórico-práctica a las dietas vegetarianas / Towards an ethical food. Theoretical and practical approaches to a vegetarian diet

Des que tenia cinc anys en Tom Watkins s'alimentava seguint exclusivament una dieta crudivegana. L'any 2008 nombroses veus es van alçar en contra de la seva mare per la manera com aquesta l'alimentava, ja que consideraven tenia conseqüències negatives per la salut del menor. L'estudi d'aquest cas ens permetrà, prenent com a referència els principis de la bioètica i la deontologia professional, discutir quines són les possibilitats de les que disposem per abordar conflictes com aquest. Debatrem les característiques del model alimentari actual, i veurem com d'allunyat n'està de poder-se considerar saludable i respectuós tant amb el medi ambient com amb els animals. I finalment ens preguntarem sobre quin ha de ser el paper del dietista-nutricionista a l'hora de tractar qüestions com aquestes

Desde que tenía cinco años, Tom Watkins se alimentaba siguiendo exclusivamente una dieta crudivegana. El año 2008, numerosas voces se alzaron en contra de su madre por la manera en que lo alimentaba, ya que consideraban que tenía consecuencias negativas para la salud del menor. El estudio de este caso nos permitirá, tomando como referencia los principios de la bioética y la deontología profesional, discutir cuáles son las posibilidades de las que disponemos para abordar conflictos como este. Debatiremos las características del modelo alimentario actual y veremos cuán alejado está de poder considerarlo saludable y respetuoso tanto con el medio ambiente como con los animales. Finalmente nos preguntaremos cuál debe ser el papel del dietista-nutricionista a la hora de tratar cuestiones como éstas

Since he was five years old, Tom Watkins was exclusively fed following a raw vegan diet. In 2008, many people started criticizing his mother for the way she was feeding her son, as they considered this diet had negative consequences for the minor's health. Analysing this case will allow us, taking as a point of reference the principles of bioethics and professional ethics, to discuss the available possibilities to tackle such conflicts. We will also discuss the characteristics of the current food model and we will see how distant it is from being healthy and respectful with the environment and the other animals. Finally, we will analyse the role of the dietician-nutritionists in dealing with this type of issues