Furthermore, subjects in the largest studies of adolescent vegetarians in the United States are not a heterogeneous mix of vegetarians but Seventh Day Adventists, a Christian-faith group whose members often adhere to a lacto-ovovegetarian diet. Consequently, those most motivated to learn about healthy eating practices may have been overrepresented. Often, subjects were recruited through advertisements and flyers in health food stores. Many studies are based on a very small sample or study population. Regrettably, the number of studies on adolescent vegetarianism in the medical literature is small, and what literature does exist has several limitations. This article summarizes health and nutritional research on teenage vegetarianism and serves as a basic resource for counseling vegetarian teens and their parents. If you are unsure how to adjudicate an argument such as theirs, you are like most health professionals, who can speak generally about the benefits of vegetarianism and the risk of nutritional deficiencies but who need specifics to be helpful to patients. The answer to the disagreement between Amanda and her mother, therefore, lies in the details of Amanda's dietary practices. What's more, if Amanda is like most adolescents, she doesn't eat enough whole grains, low-fat dairy foods, vegetables, and fruitcornerstones of a healthy vegetarian diet. An exclusive menu of soda, chips, french fries, and pizza is a vegetarian diet, but clearly not a healthy one. The practice of vegetarianism does not, however, guarantee a healthy diet, any more than consumption of an omnivorous diet does. The fact is that Amanda can have a perfectly healthy diet without eating meat, poultry, or fish, and that she can indeed reap health benefits from vegetarianism. Amanda is asking you to convince her mother that a vegetarian diet is nutritionally adequate, safe, and, in fact, healthier than the typical American omnivorous diet that her parents eat.Īmanda is like many adolescents who are, or who are thinking of becoming, a vegetarian. Her mother is concerned about weight loss and whether Amanda is getting enough iron and vitamins. Today, she is accompanied by her mother, hoping you can resolve an ongoing disagreement about the risks and benefits of vegetarianism. This review summarizes health and nutritional research on teenage vegetarianism and provides information you can use to counsel patients and their parents.Īmanda, a 17-year-old who has been a patient of yours since childhood, is in for her yearly check-up. ![]() With nutrition so essential to adolescent growth and development, pediatricians must be prepared to offer sound nutritional advice to teen vegetarians. Belamarch, MD, and Keith Thomas Ayoob, EdD, RD What the literature shows How many adolescents go vegetarian? Health benefits Nutritionally, does the diet pass muster? Nutritional deficits: Potential problems Advising teen vegetarians By Peter F.
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