Kids With Vegetarian Diets Record Similar Growth, Nutrition Measures as Those Who Eat Meat: Study
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The article covers a study led by researchers at the University of Toronto who "evaluated 8,907 children aged six months to eight years,” (www.utronto.ca) from 2008 to 2019 to gather data on whether or not a vegetarian diet impacts a child’s nutritional measures. In the group of over 8000 kids, some were given a “vegetarian status – defined as a dietary pattern that excludes meat” (www.utronto.ca) and others were given non-vegetarian statues. After analyzing the data, the researchers found that “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.” (www.utronto.ca) However, the data also showed that those who were raised on a vegetarian diet had double the chances of being underweight. As mentioned by Jonathon Maguire, a scientist at U of T’s Joannah & Brian Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition and the principal investigator of the study, “Vegetarian diet was associated with higher odds of an underweight status, underscoring the need for careful dietary planning for children with underweight when considering vegetarian diets.”(www.utronto.ca)
As someone who is looking to transition to a vegetarian diet, I am happy to hear that “those who eat a vegetarian diet had similar measures of growth and nutrition compared to children who eat meat.” (www.utronto.ca) Many people may think that meat is the only source of protein and is necessary for a healthy diet, but if a vegetarian diet is carefully planned, it could provide the same amount of nutrients as a meat-based diet. I would even argue that a plant-based diet is more healthy than a meat-based one as it includes an “increased intake of fruits, vegetables, fibre, whole grains and reduced saturated fat…” (www.utronto.ca) Furthermore, a plant-based diet is better for the environment and helps to protect the lives of animals by discouraging mass production of meat. However, I appreciate how the article mentioned that a plant-based diet requires more attention and planning to ensure that one is receiving enough energy to maintain a healthy weight and BMI levels. This shows that the article is not taking a stance on plant-based diets it simply states the facts.
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Kids with vegetarian diets record similar growth, nutrition measures as those who eat meat: Study
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