The Sixth Constitutional Court of Lima recently ordered the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, a large public research university in Peru’s capital city, to conduct a census of vegan students and provide meal options for those who follow a vegan diet. The court based its ruling on the constitutional rights of equality, nondiscrimination, freedom of conscience, and the free development of personality.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a U.S.-based public health advocacy nonprofit with more than 17,000 doctor members, submitted an amicus brief demonstrating that a vegan diet is nutritious, beneficial for students, and less costly than other dietary patterns.

“The court’s ruling recognizes that students at public universities hold diverse religious, cultural, ethical, and philosophical beliefs that play roles in diet and lifestyle,” says Physicians Committee president Neal Barnard, MD, who presented the brief to the court on Jan. 20.

Surveys show that more than two-thirds of U.S. colleges and universities offer students daily vegan meal options, and similar trends are emerging in other countries. Students who are well-nourished perform better academically.

Although the university has appealed the decision, details on the extent of the appeal are not yet available. “Complying with the ruling would help students make healthier food choices while bringing the university in line with standard practice at public institutions all over the world. Everybody would win,” adds Dr. Barnard.

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in education and research.

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