Are vegetarian diets safe in children?
Canadian study shows the growth of kids who don't eat meat is the same as those who do: Pediatrics journal
Children who eat a vegetarian diet have similar growth and biochemical measures of nutrition as those who eat meat, according to a Canadian study.
However, they are more likely to be underweight, which is an indicator for undernutrition.
The findings highlight the need for special care when planning vegetarian diets for underweight children, the researchers say in Pediatrics.
Dr Jonathon Maguire, a paediatrician at St Michael’s Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, and colleagues evaluated 8907 children aged six months to eight years (mean age, 2.2 years; 52% boys) participating in a longitudinal study.
