[L]ittle is known about the effects of a high fat (HF) maternal diet and resultant obesity on primate fetal biology...Obesity causes substantial soical [sic], economic and health burdens. The rate of obesity is escalating disproportionately in children (infants to young adults). [W]e believe that obestiy [sic] in part starts when the child was a fetus in utero and occurs because of reprogramming of gene expression caused by the mother's diet and health. We will test this hypothesis in non-human primates and will determine whether improving maternal diet changes genes of interest that contribute to childhood obesity.
The study is especially frivolous in light of the wealth of data pointing out the risks to human fetuses and babies when the mother is obese. What's the answer, according to Robert Lane, to the childhood obesity epidemic? Certainly not parent and child education about diet and exercise; certainly not limiting TV and video games or junk foot and pounds of saturated fat... If you believe these things might lead to some improvement, you just don't understand science. The an$wer, of cour$e, i$ to induce obe$ity in monkey$ and then experiment on their babie$. And that answer will cost the American tax payer $294,893 PER YEAR in funding. (see primateresearch.blogspot.com for more info on Lane's research and other primate vivisection issues)
We think that the public has a right to know how their money is being wasted on this cruelty - especially those members of the public situated in the heart of Mr. Lane's neighborhood. Mr. Lane lives in an upscale part of Salt Lake (of course) with an incredible view of the valley - and this house was paid for with blood money.
As it turns out, Dr. Lane was in Australia when we made our first home visit. But we left a flyer with their housesitter and we're sure it'll be passed along to Bob. Until then, we spoke with neighbors (all of whom at this protest abhorred Dr. Lane) and a film student at the U of U had the opportunity to even film interviews with these neighbors who all gave us praise for our presence. We stood across the street from Lane's house and continued to chant so that our voices could echo on the nearby mountains and be heard throughout the neighborhood. After protesting and handing out leaflets to all his neighbors, activists packed it up. But he can be sure this is only the first of many to come.
