Survey: Teen Vegetarianism On Rise

[Guest guest]

This article was from Cleveland, Ohio, then forwarded to me by my fellow New

Englander AND former (Capitol Beltway/Washington DC/Maryland) coworker, Nancy

Hey.

 

Dear friends,

 

Fortunately, both kids and adults can get all the proper nutrients on a

vegetarian, and even a vegan diet, and it does not necessarily have to lead to

an eating disorder in teens (that is usually caused by other, underlying

emotional problems). I see these results as positive, as they show that teens

are considering the ethical consequences of their food choices.

 

Peacefully yours,

Nancy Hey

 

http://www.newsnet5.com

 

Survey: Teen Vegetarianism On Rise

Experts Say Parents Need To Make Sure Kids Are Getting Nutrients

 

POSTED: 2:48 p.m. EDT May 1, 2003

 

CLEVELAND -- According to a recent survey, 11 percent of girls won't eat beef.

 

Meanwhile, the number of teenagers who call themselves vegetarian is up by 30

percent over the last five years.

 

NewsChannel5's Tonya Strong reported on why parents need to get a dialogue going

about their teens' dietary choices.

 

While her father grills chicken on the porch, Meaghan Smith, 18, sautees

textured soy meal in the kitchen.

 

" Almost all my friends either are vegetarian or vegan or have been at some point

in their lives, " she said.

 

In fact, the number of teenage vegetarians has risen dramatically in the past

decade to almost 500,000.

 

Meaghan was 11 when she decided not to eat meat.

 

" I just decided to stop, decided it wasn't my thing anymore and kind of gross

and probably not as healthy as I thought it was, " she said.

 

Her father, Robert Smith, was surprised and concerned.

 

" Bunny food never really seemed like food to me, and I was worried about her

sustaining herself, " he said.

 

" However, from the American Heart Association all the way to the American Cancer

Society, a plant-based diet is the way to go for all of us, even teenagers, "

said Sandy Pichette, a clinical dietitian at MetroHealth Medical Center.

 

Pichette is a vegetarian and said that, at first, some teens decide to just give

up red meat.

 

" When I first started, and a lot of my friends that were, you just drop the meat

out of your diet and you don't replace it, you don't get the proper nutrition, "

Meaghan said.

 

Others give up all dairy products, but Pichette said that parents need to make

sure their kids find replacements for the protein, vitamin B, iron and calcium

that meat provides. They can instead include soy-based products, tofu and

legumes.

 

" Like beans, peas, seeds, nut butters, " she said.

 

It may start as a fad, but experts said giving up meat can be healthy for a

child if it's done with guidance and care.

 

" I mean, everyone thought it was a phase, and it's been my eight-year phase, "

Meaghan said.

 

Experts said it's a good idea to keep a watchful eye on a teen's diet. They

require about 500 more calories a day than adults do. Also, vegetarianism in

girls is sometimes the first sign of an eating disorder.