Vegetarian Diet in Children – A Safe Solution?

There are many reasons why parents might choose to introduce plant-based diets for their children, with health being one of the most important reasons. Excluding animal products from children's diets may be controversial for some people, but international scientific societies such as the American Dietetic Association (V. Melina, W. Craig, S. Levin 2016) and the Canadian Pediatric Society (M. Amit 2010) clearly show the health benefits associated with the consumption of a well-planned vegetarian diet based on plant sources by young children. Such a diet can provide a healthy way of eating at every stage of life, including children and adolescents, as supported by scientific research.

It is crucial to take appropriate measures for nutritional education of the entire household and to monitor the state of health on a regular basis. Regular assessment of the menu is also necessary in terms of quality, balance, and content of nutrients often deficient in the vegan diet, such as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and long-chain, polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. It may also be necessary to use products enriched with these nutrients and to perform appropriate supplementation. In the case of children, the main indicator of balanced nutrition will be changes in body weight, which should be monitored.

The most important thing is to ensure an appropriate source of nutrients tailored to the child's age and level of physical activity. Essential in the context of proper growth and development of the child is to provide adequate amounts of protein along with a proper diet. Given that plant-based proteins have a lower nutritional value than animal sources, it is important to introduce various sources of this nutrient into the diet and to ensure its quality (P. Müller 2020). This helps to provide the necessary amounts of all essential amino acids. Due to the increased nutritional needs of children, it may be necessary to increase the protein content in the diet of small children. Another important nutrient is calcium, whose adequate amounts ensure children proper bone and tooth development. It is assumed that children on a vegetarian diet should consume such amounts of calcium that meet the standard recommendations regarding the intake of this micronutrient in this age group. In the diet of children, there should be calcium-enriched plant-based drinks. Parents and guardians should pay special attention to the composition of such products during purchases. In addition, large amounts of calcium are found in green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cabbage, so they should be included in the child's daily menu. Other sources of calcium will be nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and beans, which should not be missing either. If the calcium requirement cannot be met through diet, it may be necessary to use supplementation. It is also worth paying attention to the iron intake and to improve the absorption of iron from plant-based products, for example, by consuming appropriate amounts of vitamin C, which improves iron absorption (M. A. Desmond et al. 2021). In case of detected iron deficiency, appropriate supplementation should be used after consultation with a doctor.

However, it is believed that the vegan diet is not suitable for the proper growth and development of a child and that it is not possible to meet the nutritional needs of children with this type of diet, and that it may carry a risk of deficiencies in key nutrients. However, research has shown that children who eat vegan diets, in comparison to children who are on a traditional diet, consume a significant amount of dietary fiber and a smaller amount of fat and cholesterol (S. Weder et al., 2019). Studies have found that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of a decrease in nutrients in the diet of children, which has a positive impact on the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood (M. A. Desmond et al., 2018). However, the vegan diet may be deficient in protein, calcium, vitamin B12, omega-3, and have low bioavailability of zinc and iron, which may be significant in the context of normal growth and development of children. It is well known that children, like pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, belong to a group of people with special nutritional needs, however, with a carefully composed plant-based diet - varied and including enriched foods - it is possible to meet the need for most nutrients. It is important to emphasize that nutrients, vitamins, and minerals should be taken primarily with food, if this is not possible, additional supplementation should be considered, which should be consulted with a doctor. The key role here is played by doctors and nutritionists in educating parents and caregivers about the benefits and risks of the vegan diet in children.