Celebrities taking vegan pledges has become a part of Hollywood culture, and now tinseltown's tiny ones are next in line to take on veganism. Author and yogi-to-the-stars Rainbeau Mars started the two week kiddie challenge, which began on Monday and already has 300 ready and willing tiny participants. The idea to turn the trendy vegan challenge into something children could participate in began when Mars noticed that many of the children at her daughter's school did not know how to help in the kitchen, a major component of establishing life-long healthy eating patterns. And now celebrity kiddos are joining the two week plant-based pledge. It's wonderful to see the connection being made by children that what we ingest has an effect on our health. Let's hope they are also accepting what they are taught about the positive effects a vegan lifestyle can have on the animals and the planet. (ecorazzi.com)

A new study shows that over the past three decades, the number of overweight and obese people worldwide has increased from 857 million to 2.1 billion. The usual culprits are often blamed, such as increased consumption of processed foods, and of course, consumers indulgence in the fast food industry. Although these play a major role in adding to obesity, another theory has now emerged and that is the introduction of genetically modified ingredients (GMOs) into the food supply. It is interesting that the United States is home to the highest proportion of the world’s obese people and also grows and consumes the highest amount of GMO crops. “Obesity is an issue affecting people of all ages and incomes, everywhere,” IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray said in the news release. “In the last three decades, not one country has achieved success in reducing obesity rates, and we expect obesity to rise steadily as incomes rise in low- and middle-income countries in particular, unless urgent steps are taken to address this public health crisis.” (ecorazzi.com)

There is still no legal clearness about what kind of food can be labelled as vegetarian or vegan. The European legislator committed the EU-Commission to present a suitable definition, unfortunately without any deadline. At the moment there is no realization in sight. Animal Friends Croatia called, together with the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), on the members of the European Parliament to support a quick definition. Especially the door hangers which were distributed to about 700 MEPs' offices attracted attention.

Jennifer Lopez has joined fellow A-listers like Anne Hathaway and Joaquin Phoenix and adopted a vegan diet! The 44-year-old actress and recording artist has always been incredibly health conscious, but recently revealed that removing animal products from her diet has left her feeling better than ever and she would encourage everyone to adopt a plant-based diet. In an interview with New York radio station Z100 Lopez said, "You do feel better. I do recommend the vegan diet because you wake up and feel great!" J.Lo briefly attempted to adhere to a vegetarian lifestyle several years ago, but in an effort to stay healthy and fit, she has now chosen to avoid all animal products. Lopez explained, "Being vegan, it's basically no diary, no meat, everything is plant based and from the ground." "Jenny from the Block" has certainly come a long way since she gave vegan television host Ellen DeGeneres a year's supply of Omaha Steaks. (ecorazzi.com)

Manchester United legend and current first team coach Phil Neville has revealed his switch to vegetarianism. In a new interview with PETA, Neville credits his plant-based switch to his wife. He says, "My wife's been vegetarian for about four, five years now. I promised my wife that I would try it for two weeks. ... I started to feel healthier, leaner. I started to feel great!" The trophy winning soccer player knows very well and from personal experience that athletes can sustain their health and athletic performances on plant-based diets. Neville is just one of many elite level, plant-based athletes, and he joins the list of high-performance individuals fueled by veggies, including endurance athlete Rich Roll, Iron Man Dave Scott and strongman competitor Patrik Baboumian. Neville also understands the cruelty animals endure and the environmental impacts of meat-heavy diets. (ecorazzi.com)