Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review
People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children’s health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/723 |
| _version_ | 1797264034242756608 |
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| author | Malgorzata A. Desmond Mary S. Fewtrell Jonathan C. K. Wells |
| author_facet | Malgorzata A. Desmond Mary S. Fewtrell Jonathan C. K. Wells |
| author_sort | Malgorzata A. Desmond |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children’s health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children’s health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores. Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem. Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:22:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b890d445f98b44b9b75483ca3fac711a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T00:22:29Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-b890d445f98b44b9b75483ca3fac711a2024-03-12T16:52:21ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432024-03-0116572310.3390/nu16050723Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic ReviewMalgorzata A. Desmond0Mary S. Fewtrell1Jonathan C. K. Wells2UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UKUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UKUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UKPeople are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children’s health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children’s health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores. Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem. Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/723vegetarianveganchildrensecular trendbone healthgrowth |
| spellingShingle | Malgorzata A. Desmond Mary S. Fewtrell Jonathan C. K. Wells Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review Nutrients vegetarian vegan children secular trend bone health growth |
| title | Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review |
| title_full | Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review |
| title_short | Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research—A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | plant based diets in children secular trends health outcomes and a roadmap for urgent practice recommendations and research a systematic review |
| topic | vegetarian vegan children secular trend bone health growth |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/723 |
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