Vegetarians vs Carnivores: Another Point for Meat Meaters

I have a good friend that has been following a strict vegetarian diet for many years. He’s super energetic and swears by it. If I had to judge by his activity and demeanor, I’d say it has worked for him.

Nevertheless, we have several times debated the wisdom of eating as he does. He’s sent me studies that support vegetarianism, and I’ve sent him The Vegetarian Myth, which makes the case against it.

Recently, he’s developed a condition that makes his bones fragile. It’s scary. And I couldn’t help but wonder if his diet might have something to do with it. It may not. But in looking up “bone fragility,” I came across a short essay, written by a doctor whose books I once published. It’s about a recent study, of more than 26,000 women between the ages of 35 and 69, which found that vegetarians had a 33% higher risk of hip fracture compared with meat eaters.

You can read that short essay here.

Obviously, this doesn’t prove anything. And knowing my friend, I’m sure he’s aware of the latest studies and getting the best medical treatment that’s available. Still, it makes me wonder if there could be a connection.

India Surpasses China in Population

Will Its Economy Grow as Fast? 

India is about to pass China as the world’s most populous country. Analytical models project that at the end of this year, China will have 1,426 billion people, while India will have 1,429 billion.

When I was in high school, I remember India having a population of about 500 million. At that time, China’s population was about 650 million.

The difference in total population is insignificant. What is significant is the difference in average age. About 40% of India’s population is under 25 years old, with an overall median age of 28, compared to 38 in the US and 39 in China. That means India’s economy will probably grow faster in the coming years.

The Language Police Strike Again! 

Have you noticed that real estate ads no longer say “master bedroom”? Today, they are called “primary rooms.” According to the language police, it’s because the phrase “master bedroom” is racist – i.e., because it originated in the South, referring to the bedroom of the master of the plantation.

Wrong. There is no recorded use of “master bedroom” during the slave era in America, or at any time in the 19th century. The first recorded use was in a 1926 Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog.

I asked one of my real estate brokers if this fact would change her decision to go with primary bedroom. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Sticking with master bedroom is all risk and no reward. The arithmetic doesn’t work for me.”