Study finds children with vegetarian diet have similar growth and
nutrition compared to children who eat meat
Children with a vegetarian diet also had higher odds of underweight
weight status

Date:
May 2, 2022
Source:
St. Michael's Hospital
Summary:
A study of nearly 9,000 children found those who eat a vegetarian
diet had similar measures of growth and nutrition compared to
children who eat meat. The study also found that children with
a vegetarian diet had higher odds of underweight weight status,
emphasizing the need for special care when planning the diets of
vegetarian kids.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A study of nearly 9,000 children found those who eat a vegetarian diet
had similar measures of growth and nutrition compared to children who
eat meat. The study, published in Pediatrics and led by researchers
at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, also found that
children with a vegetarian diet had higher odds of underweight weight
status, emphasizing the need for special care when planning the diets
of vegetarian kids.


==========================================================================
The findings come as a shift to consuming a plant-based diet grows
in Canada.

In 2019, updates to Canada's_Food_Guide urged Canadians to embrace
plant-based proteins, such as beans and tofu, instead of meat.

"Over the last 20 years we have seen growing popularity of plant-based
diets and a changing food environment with more access to plant-based alternatives, however we have not seen research into the nutritional
outcomes of children following vegetarian diets in Canada," said
Dr. Jonathon Maguire, lead author of the study and a pediatrician at
St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto.

"This study demonstrates that Canadian children following vegetarian
diets had similar growth and biochemical measures of nutrition compared to children consuming non-vegetarian diets. Vegetarian diet was associated
with higher odds of underweight weight status, underscoring the need for careful dietary planning for children with underweight when considering vegetarian diets." Researchers evaluated 8,907 children age six months to eight years. The children were all participants of the TARGet_Kids! cohort study and data was collected between 2008 and 2019. Participants were categorized by vegetarian status - defined as a dietary pattern that
excludes meat - or non-vegetarian status.

Researchers found children who had a vegetarian diet had similar mean
body mass index (BMI), height, iron, vitamin D, and cholesterol levels
compared to those who consumed meat. The findings showed evidence that
children with a vegetarian diet had almost two-fold higher odds of
having underweight, which is defined as below the third percentile for
BMI. There was no evidence of an association with overweight or obesity.

Underweight is an indicator of undernutrition, and may be a sign that
the quality of the child's diet is not meeting the child's nutritional
needs to support normal growth. For children who eat a vegetarian diet,
the researchers emphasized access to healthcare providers who can provide growth monitoring, education and guidance to support their growth and nutrition.

International guidelines about vegetarian diet in infancy and childhood
have differing recommendations, and past studies that have evaluated the relationship between vegetarian diet and childhood growth and nutritional status have had conflicting findings.

"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," said Dr. Maguire,
who is also a scientist at MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at
St. Michael's Hospital.

A limitation of the study is that researchers did not assess the
quality of the vegetarian diets. The researchers note that vegetarian
diets come in many forms and the quality of the individual diet may
be quite important to growth and nutritional outcomes. The authors say
further research is needed to examine the quality of vegetarian diets
in childhood, as well as growth and nutrition outcomes among children
following a vegan diet, which excludes meat and animal derived products
such as dairy, egg, and honey.

The study was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research
(CIHR), St.

Michael's Hospital Foundation and SickKids Foundation.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by St._Michael's_Hospital. Original
written by Jennifer Stranges. Note: Content may be edited for style
and length.


==========================================================================


Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220502094813.htm

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