Shops hoping for a Christmas lift are likely to be disappointed because spending will stagnate as the recession bites, market research firm Mintel is predicting.

    Christmas retail sales this year will stagnate, showing 0% growth--a marked contrast to the average 5% growth in seasonal spending seen each year since the start of the millennium.

    Since 2000 Christmas spending has grown by five per cent per year on average, according to the firm. Last year it grew slightly, despite predictions it would stall.

    But now the looming recession means people are looking to have a "much less indulgent" festive season, according to Richard Perks, Mintel's director of retail and financial research.

    He said: "There is always a lot of emotional pressure to spend money and spoil everyone over the festive season, and during the years of unprecedented boom time, many Brits enjoyed lavish Christmases. But this year, as budgets tighten, Christmas will become a much less indulgent affair.

    Mintel's research found that nearly half of people (41 per cent) said they will be spending less this year--almost double the 22 per cent who said that last year.

    Just 20% say they will still splash out at Christmas even though money is tight, a significant drop on last year's 32%.

    Only those young enough to be unburdened by mortgages and other financial commitments are likely to continue spending freely, according to Mintel's research.

    Mr Perks said: "Shops that target the under 25s, such as young fashion, games and those that sell small electricals, should do relatively well this Christmas in comparison to other markets."

    "As a result, many retailers will be looking for ways to encourage people to part with their cash, and so we're likely to see discounting and end-of-year sales start before Christmas."

    與食肉者相比，素食者較少超重。然而，這并不意味著不食肉是控制體重的關鍵。無論食肉或不食肉，只要攝入大量蔬果，以取代甜食、高脂快餐、高糖飲料和酒，都有利于控制體重。

    素食對心臟保健的主要好處之一，就是這些膳食中含有較低的升膽固醇飽和脂肪，但這不意味著人要保持健康，就必須完全不吃肉。攝入適量魚、去皮的家禽，甚至精瘦紅肉等食物，都不會增加太多的飽和脂肪。

    升膽固醇轉化脂肪也是需要考慮的問題。如果“素食”多為油炸食品或高脂肪食品，那樣一點也不利健康。

    有研究已發現，食牛羊肉者患結腸癌的危險較大，但是《歐洲臨床營養學雜志》的一篇最新報告質疑了這種聯系。雖然癌癥或心臟病的發生與腌肉、香腸、肥肉和能形成致癌物的高溫肉制品有關，但這也不能肯定所有的肉、魚和家禽都具有危險。

    AICR認為，素食可以減少患某些癌癥的危險，但適量吃肉和其它動物食品的人也可能得到素食的健康好處，前提要攝入大量的蔬菜、水果、谷類和豆類。這一結論可能也適用于素食對心臟的保健和其它健康好處。重要的不僅僅是你不吃什么，而是你吃了什么。