Can kids thrive on a vegetarian diet?
25 Jan 2012 09:54 AM
It’s one thing to opt for a meatless diet as an adult – but is it a healthy option for growing children too? As a dietitian who consults to the Vegetarian Network of Victoria, this is familiar territory to Mark Surdut. Clients who come to him for advice on kids and vegetarian eating generally fall into two groups. There are those whose children – sometimes as young as eight - who want to be vegetarian, and parents who are vegetarian themselves and wonder if a meat free diet will meet a growing child’s needs for nutrients.
The bottom line says Surdut is that vegetarian diets, including vegan diets that exclude dairy food and eggs, can be healthy for kids as long as they’re well planned. That’s not just his opinion either. Last year the professional association of dietitians in the US, the American Dietetic Association, gave the thumbs up to vegetarian diets at all life stages in a position paper that suggested vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence can help establish lifelong healthy eating patterns.
But there are pitfalls. Because vegetarian diets are high in fibre, they’re very filling – so it’s easy to fill up a child size stomach without delivering sufficient kilojoules or a broad range of nutrients, Surdut points out. The solution, he says, is to include a variety of different foods in the diet – although he agrees this can be a challenge with very fussy eaters.
As for meeting iron and protein needs, this is easier with a diet that includes dairy products and eggs.
“On a vegan diet, iron and protein rich sources are limited mainly to legumes and nuts, and growing adolescents need to eat a lot of these foods to get sufficient protein,” he says.”You could argue that there’s protein in whole grains – but it’s pretty dilute. Soy foods like tofu have a protein profile that’s almost identical to meat and are safe to include - the key is to eat them in moderation and as one of a mix of different plant proteins. “
Other options, he adds, are vegan convenience foods like sausages and burgers that are high in protein.
But one nutrient that’s elusive on a vegan diet is vitamin B12 found in animal foods including eggs and dairy food – although research from the University of Western Sydney published in the Journal of Agricultural Chemistry last year suggests that button mushrooms can contribute some vitamin B12.
But to what extent we can rely on mushrooms for B12 isn’t clear, says Surdut, and more research is needed. Although including foods fortified with B12 or B12 supplements is one way to get this vitamin it may not guarantee enough, and he advises both adults and children on a vegan diet to get their B12 levels checked regularly.
As for calcium, vegans may need a supplement, especially those with a high requirement for calcium including teenagers or women at risk of osteoporosis, he says – calcium fortified products including soy and rice milks are good sources.
But while there might a growing recognition that a well balanced vegetarian diet can be healthy for kids, it’s also an option that can draw some criticism.
“My family were the harshest critics – as eastern Europeans they believed meat was essential for bringing up a healthy child,” says Michelle Moscova whose 13 year old son Addam - a tall for his age basketball player - has eaten a vegetarian diet including eggs and cheese since he was a baby.
“He was always a very healthy boy. We had regular blood checks to monitor iron and B12 – he was always within normal levels," says Moscova, a lecturer in biomedical sciences at Charles Sturt University. "When Addam started playing competitive basketball, nobody knew he was a vegetarian - his coaches are surprised when they find out because there’s a belief that competitive athletes need meat to be able to win. My family is still critical of my decision, but seeing Addam towering at 190 cm at the age of 13 is now my best argument,” Moscova says. But while feeding children a vegetarian diet can raise eyebrows, we often forget about other eating styles that can leave kids short on nutrients, says Surdut.
“One of them is a typical teenage diet that can include a lot of food but not a lot of nutrients. I often reassure parents of adolescents who’ve taken up a vegetarian diet that there are a lot of teenagers who eat a limited non-vegetarian diet and who turn out okay – so why do we make such a fuss about vegetarian teenagers, especially those who are taking a real interest in planning their diets properly?”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/blogs/chew-on-this/can-kids-thrive-on-a-vegetarian-diet-20100920-15ivz.html#ixzz1kQ2Xziii