Children more likely to accept vegan diet

April 12, 2006

Gannett News Service My choice to become a vegetarian more than two decades ago mystified my friends and colleagues. They said you won't get enough nutrients to fuel your body, particularly if you are an avid exerciser, as I was. You'll become deficient in key vitamins and minerals, like vitamin B12. The first time you smell a T-bone on the grill, you'll be back. Or, my

favorite — real men don't eat plants. I recall serving my sons vegetarian chili, in which the ground beef was replaced with soy crumbles. They didn't know what they were eating, but they sure enjoyed it, wolfing down three good-size bowls. I waited until they had filled their bellies before breaking the news that their chili contained soy, not beef. Amazingly, they gave me the squinched-face look that only teenagers can do and both said, "Yuk!" at the same time. Their innate bias overrode what their taste buds had told them. But I'm thankful I was able to hang on, because I can say with conviction that I believe my becoming a vegetarian saved my life. When I changed my diet, my health profile was bleak, notwithstanding my exhausting daily workouts. My serum cholesterol level was much too high, and my all-important total cholesterol/HDL ratio was horrific. Clearly, my diet was killing me, and it was just a matter of time. Going veggie gets cool Over the years, many parents have told me about their children's decision to switch to vegetarianism. In virtually every case, the child was a female, usually a teenager. Boys are not so inclined, of course, because the macho creed our society imposes on young males and the need to fit in are far too intimidating. But things appear to be slanting toward greater acceptance of the vegetarian way of life — including younger children and boys. Experts suggest that messages from movies such as "Finding Nemo" are having an effect. You may recall the line from Nemo: "Fish are friends, not food." Music popular among teens that conveys social themes also may be exerting an effect. Survey results suggest that in youths ranging from 6 to 17 years old, about 2 percent are bona fide vegetarians, avoiding all red meat, fish and poultry. This is admittedly a pretty low number and doesn't suggest the beginnings of a

groundswell of support for a plant-based diet. However, another finding is quite encouraging, and that is 20 percent of teenagers report that vegetarianism is not only acceptable, it's "in." This suggests that while they may not have adopted the vegetarian lifestyle, they are not opposed to it and would not be likely to condemn those who do not eat meat. What's more, it's possible they might eventually be inclined to shift their diet in a healthier direction, even if they don't go vegetarian. Reasons for kids going veggie are as varied as they are for adults. In the case of young females, often the driving force is the ability to manage body weight more easily and stay as slim as society deems necessary. Others are drawn by the environmental implications. Raising animals for food consumption depletes resources and is a source of pollution, whereas plants can be raised using relatively few resources, and they don't pollute our world. The

bottom line Given the current state of youth health, this is the first encouraging piece of news I've seen in a long time. Our kids are sedentary and fat, and they are getting fatter every year. Their fatness is getting so far out of control, in fact, that major adult diseases, such as type 2 (maturity onset) diabetes, are showing up in preteens. The vegetarian message could possibly save some of these kids by shifting them away from bacon cheeseburgers and toward health-enhancing foods that will reward them throughout their lives. Bryant Stamford is professor and chairman of the department of exercise science at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind. If you have questions or suggestions, go to his Web site at DrBryantStamford.com, or address questions to "The Body Shop," The Courier-Journal, P.O. Box 740031, Louisville, KY 40201-7431. Peter H

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