Vegetarian children’s nutrition and growth similar to meat eaters, study flags

05 May 2022 --- Children who followed vegetarian diets had similar growth and nutrition measures compared to those who eat meat, according to a Canadian study. 

However, vegetarian infants have two-fold higher odds of being underweight, which is an indicator of undernutrition. 

The study, carried out by the St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health of Toronto and published in Pediatrics, involved 9,000 children aged between six months and eight years.

It is the first of its kind in Canada exploring nutritional outcomes of children following vegetarian diets in the country.

“This study demonstrates that Canadian children following vegetarian diets had similar nutrition growth and biochemical measures compared to children consuming non-vegetarian diets,” explains Dr. Jonathon Maguire, lead author of the study and a pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto.

Researchers found children who followed a vegetarian diet had similar mean body mass index (BMI), height, iron, vitamin D, and cholesterol levels compared to those who consumed meat.

Dr. Jonathon Maguire, pediatrician at St. Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto (Credit: Unity Health Toronto).Eyeing nutritional needs
Being underweight does not only mean being under an optimal weight; it is also an indicator of undernutrition and may signal that the quality of the child’s diet is not meeting the required nutritional needs to support normal growth.

“Researchers emphasized the importance of access to healthcare providers who can provide growth monitoring, education and guidance to support their growth and nutrition (for vegetarian children),” flags the study.

Nonetheless, it is not an easy task for parents, as the research outlines “international guidelines about vegetarian diet in infancy and childhood have different recommendations.” 

Furthermore, past studies that evaluated “the relationship between vegetarian diet and childhood growth and nutritional status have had conflicting findings” flag the researchers. 

The study admits limitations as the scientists did not assess the quality of vegetarian diets. The authors expressed the need for further research on the quality of vegetarian diets in childhood—researchers adding that investigation on vegan diets must also be carried out.

Emphasis on plant-based foods
Canada’s food guide reads that vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and protein foods should be consumed regularly. Among protein foods, the guide includes plant-based options, such as legumes, nuts, seeds or tofu.

“While many animal-based foods are nutritious, our guideline emphasizes more plant-based foods,” as seen in the Canadian food guide.

“Plant-based dietary patterns are recognized as a healthy eating pattern due to increased intake of fruits, vegetables, fiber, whole grains, and reduced saturated fat.”

“However, few studies have evaluated the impact of vegetarian diets on childhood growth and nutritional status. Vegetarian diets appear to be appropriate for most children,” Maguire underscores.

The study explains how in the last 20 years, vegetarian diets have exploded in popularity, and access to plant-based alternatives has vastly increased.

The epidemic of overweight youngstersResearchers emphasize the importance of vegetarian children's access to healthcare providers who can provide growth monitoring and guidance.
A study by WHO about obesity in Europe showed that one in three children in Europe is overweight or obese. With 29% of boys and 27% of girls exceeding their recommended weights, signifying the importance of finding a solution to balance the diets of the youngest members of society.

Research shows that obesity has to be fought early on and be thorough with this approach during children's development. Obese infants are highly likely to remain so, with the associated risk of several serious health conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and a variety of cancers, according to a study by SWEET that investigated the long-term benefits and risks of dietary sweeteners in the UK. 

Finding that only 16% of toddlers aged 21 months, and less than 2% of seven-year-olds, met the recommended intake of free sugars. 

Balancing children diets with healthy foods can be a daunting, unaffordable task for parents, even in the wealthiest countries. Inflation and supply squeezes have difficulted the access to some vital products.

The Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ vegetable price index rose more than 23% in March. This is mainly due to the skyrocketing prices for core vegetable oils (palm, soy, sunflower, and rapeseed).

A US poll revealed that three out of four parents in the US relied on multivitamins for their children, even when the scientific research on supplements for children is limited.

By Marc Cervera