PETA urges Spears to change her diet

By Beth Hilton,

Animal rights group PETA has suggested that Britney Spears' recent troubles are a result of her diet.

The organisation's president Ingrid Newkirk has urged Jamie and Lynne Spears to monitor their daughter's eating habits because they could be contributing to her reported bipolar disorder.

She wrote in a letter: "We have heard that Britney asked for ice-cream while she was in the hospital. There could in fact be a connection between her diet and her mental health problems.

"Numerous reports indicate that in bipolar patients who have hidden dairy sensitivities (a fairly common condition), the disorder can worsen if the patient consumes dairy products."

She added: "A significant body of research... has linked parasites that are often found in undercooked meat (Toxoplasma gondii) to the development of schizophrenia."

Newkirk then suggested that Spears should switch to a vegan diet, saying: "[While] it might very well benefit Britney's mental health, it would undoubtedly benefit her physical health."