Pediatric Nutrition in Practice

2 Nutrition of Healthy Infants, Children and Adolescents

Key Words

Vegetarian diet · Vegan diet · Nutrient deficiencies

Key Messages

• Carefully planned mixed vegetarian diets (with milk
  and eggs) can provide sufficient energy, protein
  and nutrients for all stages of childhood growth
  and development


• Very restrictive or unbalanced vegetarian diets can
  result in failure to thrive and serious nutrient defi-
  ciencies in infants and children


• Vegan diets pose the highest risk for nutrient defi-
  ciencies in childhood, particularly for energy, pro-
  tein, essential fatty acids, vitamin B 12 , vitamin D,
  iron, calcium and zinc


• Practical dietary advice should include alternative
  dietary sources of nutrients and supplementation
  of the diet where clinically indicated
  © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel

Introduction

Guidance on nutrient intakes to support optimal
growth and development in vegetarian infants,
children and adolescents is identical to that for
non-vegetarians (see Annex 4.3). Vegetarian chil-

dren can meet all nutritional needs for growth

and development, provided the diet is well de-

signed, balanced and appropriate to the stage of

development. Vegetarianism is used to describe a

range of highly diverse eating patterns, broadly

characterised by the degree of restriction of ani-

mal products, as shown in table 1. Semi- and lac-

to-(ovo-)vegetarian diets containing milk prod-

ucts, eggs and/or fish can easily provide adequate

nutrients throughout all life stages. However,

there is a greater risk for nutritional deficiencies,

especially for energy, protein, n–3 fatty acids, vi-

tamin B 12 , vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc, in

children eating more restrictive vegan diets.

Vegetarians tend to consume less saturated fat

and a higher amount of fibre and micronutrients

compared to omnivores [1]. Health benefits, such

as low rates of obesity and reduced risk of coro-

nary heart disease and diabetes, have been asso-

ciated with a vegetarian diet in adults [2] but are

less established in children, although vegan chil-

dren do tend to be leaner than their omnivorous

peers [3].

The main challenges for paediatric care clini-

cians are to assess the quality of the vegetarian

diet, to determine the likely risk for nutritional de-

ficiency and to offer dietary education and family

Koletzko B, et al. (eds): Pediatric Nutrition in Practice. World Rev Nutr Diet. Basel, Karger, 2015, vol 113, pp 134–138
DOI: 10.1159/000367873

2.9 Vegetarian Diets

Claire T. McEvoy  Jayne V. Woodside