People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have released an advert showing a fullbreasted, overweight man. The billboard has been displayed outside the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow with the caption: 'Dude looks like a lady? Lose the breasts. Go vegetarian.' The aim of the advert, PETA say, is to warn meat-eaters of the link between obesity and gynaecomastia; they claim obesity can be caused by consumption of animal-derived products.

Scotland has seen an 80% increase in the number of requests for breast reduction surgery in men, an increase fuelled by obesity according to Scottish plastic surgeon Ken Stewart. PETA Director of Special Projects, Poorva Joshipura, maintained that gynaecomastia means that there is 'nothing manly about meat' and that gynaecomastia was another good reason, along with other examples such as cruelty to animals to go vegetarian.

According to PETA, meat-eaters are nine times more likely to become obese than vegans. I would suggest that this is obvious, but not simply because of consumption of animal products; and I could fashion a reasonable argument to counter the other comments by PETA, but what do I know? I am a meat-eating Christian medical student!

(timesonline.co.uk 2008; 6 July, peta.org.uk 2009; 9 September)