KidsHealth.org: Vegetarianism

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KidsHealth.org

Vegetarianism

Wed Dec 31, 7:00 PM ET

 

KidsHealth.org

 

Vegetarian diets have become more prevalent and popular, and many parents may

wonder if kids can safely follow a vegetarian diet and still get all the

nutrients necessary for growing up healthy and strong. Most dietary and medical

experts agree that a properly structured vegetarian diet is healthy. To ensure

adequate nutrient intake, special care must be taken when feeding children a

vegetarian diet, especially if the diet does not include dairy and egg products.

 

 

Before your child or your family switches to a vegetarian diet, it's important

to note that all vegetarian diets are not alike. Some of the major vegetarian

categories include:

 

Ovo vegetarian - eats eggs; no meat

Lacto-ovo vegetarian - eats dairy and egg products; no meat

Lacto vegetarian - eats dairy products; no eggs or meat

Vegan - eats only food from plant sources

Other categories include: Pesco vegetarians - eats fish but no other meat;

and Pollo vegetarians - eats poultry but no other meat

 

 

The Choice of Vegetarianism

There are many reasons why children or families may follow a vegetarian diet.

Younger vegetarians are usually part of a family that eats vegetarian meals for

health or religious reasons (for example, Seventh Day Adventists follow a

vegetarian diet). In non-vegetarian families, older children may decide to

become vegetarians because of concern for animals, the environment, or their own

health. Heidi Kecskemethy, RD, CSP, a board-certified pediatric nutritionist,

tells parents not to be alarmed if their children choose vegetarianism.

Kecskemethy says that the best way to handle a child's vegetarianism is to

" discuss what it means to the child and how they want to implement it. " She has

met with parents who shudder when their children switch to vegetarian meals.

" Make sure the kids make good food choices. If they are going to just eat Cheese

Nips, Pop Tarts, and soda, then you have a problem. "

 

 

Nutritional experts also say that if parents offer their children a vegetarian

diet, they should follow the same diet and make it a family affair. " I have met

parents who eat kielbasa, but insist that their children eat vegetarian for

health reasons, " says Kecskemethy.

 

 

The Nutritional Pros and Cons of a Vegetarian Diet

In the seventh edition of his world famous book, BABY AND CHILD CARE, the late

Dr. Benjamin Spock advised parents to feed children a vegetarian diet with no

dairy products after the age of 2. That advice has caused controversy among

pediatric experts. They all agree, however, that vegetarian parents should give

their children a variety of foods that provide enough calories and nutrients to

enable them to grow normally.

 

 

The majority of pediatric experts say that a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet is a

healthy choice for most children, including infants. Feeding young children a

diet filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains helps them to learn

healthy eating habits that may last for a lifetime. A vegetarian diet may help

to reduce the risk of developing medical conditions such as obesity, heart

disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

 

 

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) says that appropriately planned vegan

and lacto-ovo vegetarian diets can satisfy nutrient needs of infants, children,

and adolescents and promote normal growth. Dietary deficiencies, they note, are

most likely to occur in very restrictive diets.

 

 

The ADA recommends that once an infant is introduced to solids, protein-rich

vegetarian foods can include pureed tofu, cottage cheese, and pureed and

strained legumes (legumes include beans, peas, chickpeas, and lentils).

Breastfed infant vegans should receive a source of vitamin B12 if the mother's

diet is not supplemented and a source of vitamin D if sun exposure (which

provides vitamin D) is not adequate.

 

 

Children on a vegetarian diet may need to be careful of adequate intake of

certain vitamins and minerals. Here are the recommended daily intakes for

nutrients of possible concern for vegetarians. For certain nutrients, the

recommended levels are called Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) and for

others, they are called Adequate Intakes (AIs). These figures represent the

current recommendations by the National Academy of Science Food and Nutrition

Board.

 

Vitamin B12 - Infants need 0.3 to 0.5 micrograms (mcg); children need 0.7 to

1.4 mcg; teens need 2.0 mcg (RDAs)

Vitamin D - Infants, children, and teens need 5 mcg (AIs)

Calcium - Infants need 210 to 270 milligrams (mg); children need 500 to 1300

mg; teens need 1300 mg (AIs)

Protein - Infants need 12 to 14 grams (g); children need 16 to 46 g; teens

need 46 to 59 g (RDAs)

Iron - Infants need 6 to 10 mg; children need 10 to 15 mg; teens need 12 to

15 mg (RDAs)

Zinc - Infants need 5 mg; children need 10 to 15 mg; teens need 12 to 15 mg

(RDAs)