A pediatric perspective on vegetarian nutrition.
1981
Christoffel Katherine
Recent increased interest in vegetarianism has been motivated by health, ecological, economic and philosophical considerations. There are several types of vegetarianism: semi-vegetarianism, ovo-lacto-vegetarianism, lacto-vegetarianism, ovo-vegetarianism and veganism. Food intakes for these groups range from a diet containing everything but red meat, to exclusive use of vegetable foods. The nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets depends on the careful selection of foods; most can provide adequate nutrition, with the exception of the advanced macrobiotic diet. Nutrients most likely to be inadequate are riboflavin, vitamins B12 and D, and some minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc). While a vegetarian diet need not hinder a child's normal development, great care must be exercised to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Reported malnourishment of vegetarian children is frequently a result of highly atypical circumstances. Health assessment of adult vegetarians has revealed lower serum cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower incidence of osteoporosis, and, possibly, lower mortality from coronary heart disease, than nonvegetarians. (cj).
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