Vegetarian kids more likely to be underweight, study finds

[buh buh biden]

Vegetarian children have similar levels of nutrition and growth as their
meat-eating peers, but may have nearly double the risk of being
underweight, suggests a study published May 2 in the journal Pediatrics.

Researchers led by a team from St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health
Toronto looked at data from nearly 9,000 Canadian children between six
months and eight years old, comparing their diets to their height, weight,
and nutrition.

They found that the 338 children who had followed vegetarian or vegan
diets had similar heights, markers of growth, as children who ate meat.
Contrary to the researchers' hypothesis, the vegetarians also had
comparable levels of nutrients like iron and
vitamin D
as meat-eaters did, suggesting the vegetarian children were able to get
enough in their diets without eating meat.

However, the vegetarian children were nearly twice as likely as meat-
eaters to be underweight, based on body mass index, or ratio of weight to
height.

Being underweight may indicate a higher risk of malnutrition or a lack of
sufficient calories and nutrients necessary for proper growth, according
to the authors. However, more research is needed because other lifestyle
variables, including physical activity and specific foods in the diet,
could play a role in the findings.

The results highlight that careful planning is important when considering
how to meet children's nutritional needs on a vegetarian diet, according
to Dr. Jonathon Maguire, lead author of the study and a pediatrician at
St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto.

"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," Maguire said in a press release. "Vegetarian diets
appear to be appropriate for most children."

Plant-based diets can vary widely, so quality matters for health outcomes
One major limitation of the study is that it did not assess the quality of
the vegetarian diets, or specific foods, beyond the exclusion of meat.

The healthfulness of a vegetarian diet can vary depending on which foods
are included, evidence suggests. Plant-based diets rich in veggies, whole
grains, beans, nuts, and fruit are linked to better health outcomes. But
many highly-processed foods are also vegetarian, can be high in sugar,
salt, and preservatives, and linked to health issues.

A small study from 2021 found that vegetarian children who ate more
processed plant-based foods had elevated levels of cholesterol and blood
sugar. They also tended to eat fewer foods like vegetables, fruits, nuts,
and whole grains, missing out on important vitamins and nutrients like
fiber, according to the researchers.

"We are learning that just eating plant-based diets is no guarantee of
health, we still need to select healthy foods," Dr. Malgorzata Desmond,
first author of that study and researcher at The Children's Memorial
Health Institute, said in a press release.

More research is also needed on vegan diets, which cut out meat as well as
other animal products like dairy, eggs, and honey.

The same study from 2021 suggested that vegan children may be at higher
risk of mineral and vitamin deficiencies such as calcium and B vitamins,
which may cause lower bone mass and density. However, vegan children are
more likely to have healthy levels of cholesterol and other markers of
good heart health, the data suggested.

https://www.insider.com/vegetarian-kids-more-likely-to-be-underweight-
study-suggests-2022-5

[Siri Cruise]

In article <XnsAE8D66...@0.0.0.2>,

buh buh biden <dro...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Vegetarian children have similar levels of nutrition and growth as their
> meat-eating peers, but may have nearly double the risk of being
> underweight, suggests a study published May 2 in the journal Pediatrics.

Meat easily provides important nutrients. Vegetarians have to be
careful to eat enough plants that provide those same nutrients.
And children are fussy eaters. Something like broccoli has many
important nutrients but many unfortunate people deprive
themselves of its delicious goodness.

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