Global processed-food industry is the poison, not Western meat and dairy 

I am unconvinced by the supposed ethical and health benefits raised by these folks, and increasingly fed up with their evangelistic fervour. Animals have been part of the human diet for millennia, and I see no good reason to change that now, although I’m happy for people to make their own choices.
However, Diane Cornelius seems confused in stating that Asians are now beginning to suffer medical problems which she claims result from adopting a Western diet rich in meat and dairy (“Propaganda, consumerism are powering the global meat-grinder”, yesterday). In fact, Asian cuisines have always relied heavily on meat, especially chicken and pork, fish and other seafood, and the diet of Hindus, while usually vegetarian, relies heavily on dairy products such as yoghurt, ghee and milk. Instead, it is surely the recent evolution of sugar- and fat-rich processed foods, in many cases adulterated with substances such as corn syrup, and increasingly sedentary lifestyles, which are largely responsible for causing obesity and other health issues across the globe.
Statistics can be thrown back and forward until the cows come home, and in many cases they can be made to mean almost anything. I think it best that we decide for ourselves what we want to eat.
Robin Grant
Bangkok