Teegarden D, et al. ‘‘Symposium: Dairy product compo-
nents and weight regulation’’Journal of Nutrition2003;
133: 243S-256S
The North American Menopause Society. ‘‘The Role of
Calcium in peri- and postmenopausal women: 2006
Position Statement of The North American Menopause
Society’’Menopuase2006, 13:862-877
OTHER
Dawson Hughes, B.Invest in Your Bones - Bone Appetit: The
role of food and nutrition in building and maintaining
strong bones2006, International Osteoporosis Federa-
tion publication available online<http://www.iofbone
health.org/>.
National Institute of HealthYour guide to lowering high
blood pressure with DASH2006, National Institute of
Health publication. Tells how to follow the eating plan
with a week of menus and some recipes available on line
<http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/
dash/new_dash.pdf/>
National Osteoporosis SocietyHealthy Eating for Strong
Bones2006, National Osteoporosis Society Leaflet.
Available online at<http://www.nos.org.uk/>.
The Diary CouncilFill your Bones with CalciumThe Diary
Council booklet 2006, available online<http://
http://www.milk.co.uk/>.
United States Department of Heath and Human Services
Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon
General2004. Available on line at<http://www
.surgeongeneral.gov/>
ORGANIZATIONS
National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), 1232 22nd Street
N.W. Washington, D.C 20037-1292 USA.Website
<http://www.nof.org/>
National Osteoporosis Society (NOS), Camerton, Bath,
BA2 0PJ UK. Website<http://www.nos.org.uk/>
International Osteoporosis Federation (IOF), 9, rue Juste-
Olivier, CH-1260 Nyon, Switzerland. Website<http://
http://www.iofbonehealth.org/>
National Diary Council USA. Website<http://www.national
dairycouncil.org/nationaldairycouncil/>
The Diary Council, Henriettea House. 17/18 Henrietta
Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8QH UK.
Website<http://www.milk.co.uk/>Tracy J Parker, RDOvolactovegetarianism
Definition
Ovolactovegetarians, who are also known as
lacto-ovovegetarians, are vegetarians who do not eat
fish, poultry, or red meat but accept eggs, milk, and
honey as part of their diet on the grounds that thesefoods can be obtained without killing the animals who
produce them. Theovo-part of the name comes from
the Latin word for egg, whilelacto-is derived from the
Latin word for milk. In the West, ovolactovegetarians
are the largest subgroup of vegetarians. As a result,
most restaurants, institutional food services, cook-
books, and prepared foods that identify themselves
as ‘‘vegetarian’’ without further qualification are ovo-
lactovegetarian. Similarly, travelers who order special
‘‘vegetarian’’ meals from an airline before departure
will be given ovolactovegetarian food unless they are
more specific.
The reader should note, however, that some other
cultures define ‘‘vegetarian’’ differently. In Japan, for
example, many people think of fish as included in a
vegetarian diet. Practitioners of Hinduism, who
account for the largest single group of vegetarians
worldwide, do not eat eggs, and therefore follow a
lactovegetarian diet.OriginsVegetarianismin general has existed for thou-
sands of years, although the anatomical and archaeo-
logical evidence indicates that prehistoric humans
were not vegetarians. The pattern of human dentition
(teeth adapted for tearing meat as well as grinding
plant matter), the length of the human digestive
tract, and the secretion of pepsin (an enzyme that is
necessary for digesting meat) by the human stomach
are all indications that humans evolved as omnivores,
or animals that consume both plant and animal
matter.
Religious faith is the oldest known motive for
consuming a vegetarian diet. Hinduism is the earliest
of the world’s major religions known to have encour-
aged a vegetarian lifestyle. As of the early 2000s, Hin-
duism accounts for more of the world’s practicing
vegetarians—70 percent—than any other faith or
political conviction. The Hindu religion doesnot,
however, endorse ovolactovegetarianism, as observ-
ant Hindus may not eat eggs. Christians and Jews
who are vegetarians for religious reasons, however,
are usually either ovolactovegetarians or vegans.
Ovolactovegetarianism as it is currently practiced
by most Westerners is largely a byproduct of the ani-
mal rights movement that began in the mid-nineteenth
century with the formation of the first societies for the
prevention of cruelty to animals. The vegetarian
groups of the late nineteenth century began by exclud-
ing meat, poultry, and fish from the diet on the
grounds that these foods require the slaughter of ani-
mals, whereas the use of cow’s milk and hen’s eggsOvolactovegetarianism