Fw:[ ivu-sci] Response to the storychildren harmed by vegan diets

[Guest guest]

>> I was called by the BBC to respond to the story "Children 'Harmed' ByVegan> Diets". I am co-author of "Becoming Vegan", by dietitians Brenda Davis and> Vesanto Melina, distributed in the UK by Airlift books; www.airlift.co.uk>> Lindsay Allen, of the US Agricultural Research Service had done a study in> which providing animal products such as butter, cheese, milk, and meat> improved the health and growth of impoverished and undernourished Kenyan> children. Professor Allen failed to recognize that an assortment of plant> foods that were nutrient rich and higher in protein and calories wouldhave> helped too. The findings from this study are not applicable to vegan> children in the developed world.>> In our book "Becoming Vegan" we explain how to create a balanced and> nutritionally adequate vegan diet. Everyone doesn't automatically know todo> this properly, and certainly the authors of this study didn't. Whateverdiet> people use to raise their children, they typically need to learn a few> nutrition pointers and tips about feeding children properly. For vegandiets> this is particularly true as most vegans were not raised on this diet. But> research has shown that it can be done and result in children of sameheight> and weight statistically as the norms (though there tend to be fewer obese> children among the vegan population.) Whatever their dietary choice,> pregnant women and children are more vulnerable than people at otherstages> of the life cycle because of their fast rate of growth. It makes sense to> take extra care in planning a nutritionally adequate diet for thesestages.>> It is not true that animal products contain essential nutrients that are> not found anywhere else. Animal products are unique sources of certain> substances such as cholesterol. However dietary cholesterol is not> essential; we make what we require in our bodies and too much may be arisk> factor for disease. Vitamin B12 comes from bacteria and is present inanimal> products as a result of bacterial contamination. Properly designed vegan> diets contain vitamin B12 from fortified foods or supplements. Vegansobtain> sufficient calcium from fortified soy milk, calcium-set tofu; sesameseeds,> almonds, blackstrap molasses, white or black beans; and greens such askale;> bok choy, Napa cabbage, and broccoli.>> Professor Allen's assertion that feeding children a vegan diet was> unethical is unfounded, and reflects the fact that Professor Allen doesnot> know how to create a nutritionally adequate vegan diet. Considering therisk> factors related to in a diet high in animal products, it can be viewed as> unethical to feed your child a diet high in animal products, and to setyour> child up for a future that increases his or her risk of various cancers,> cardiovascular disease or diabetes.>> Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian> Langley, B. C. Canada> Phone: (604) 882-6782> E-mail: vesanto Web: www.nutrispeak.com