ASK
CONNIE: My Teen is "Vegging Out"
Q. Help!
My teenage daughter has declared herself a "vegetarian." It
seems to be a fad among her friends. Is this a safe diet?
A. An increasing
number of teens are adopting a meat-free lifestyle. While for some it
may be a passing fad, many other adolescents take this lifestyle choice
very seriously. There's really no reason for worry simply because your
teen no longer wants to eat meat, chicken or fish. Like all teens though,
diet variety and quality are always an issue – this age group tends
to miss out on many key nutrients at a time when their body needs them
the most!
Kids and teens
adopt vegetarian diets for a variety of reasons, including health, animal
rights, the environment or religious reasons. Most vegetarian diets
fall into one of the following categories:
• Vegans eat
only foods of plant origin, including fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts,
seeds and legumes (e.g. beans, peas, lentils, tofu, and peanuts).
• Lacto-vegetarians include milk and dairy products in their diet,
as well as all plant-based foods.
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians consume eggs, dairy products, and all plant-based
foods in their diets.
The diet of a vegetarian
child is often closer to the model of the Food Guide Pyramid than that
of their meat-eating peers. If they continue to follow a plant-based
diet into adulthood, vegetarian children can expect to have a lowered
incidence of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.
Teens can achieve
adequate amounts of the protein, vitamins and minerals needed for proper
growth and development if they include a variety of plant-based foods
and include sources of key nutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, vitamin
B12 and protein. Teens who adopt a strict vegan lifestyle have to pay
particular attention to these nutrients, since a deficiency can affect
growth and development. The table below lists the best sources for meeting
nutrient needs.
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The American
Dietetic Association's vegetarian nutrition practice group offers
the following advice for helping vegetarian children meet their
nutritional needs in healthful and tasty ways:
Calories
and fat: Vegetarian children's diets sometimes tend to be
high in fiber, filling their stomachs but making it difficult
for them to consume the levels of energy they need. Avocados,
nuts, seeds, dried fruits and soy products can provide concentrated
sources of calories.
Protein:
Protein needs generally can be met by eating a variety of plant
foods and having an adequate intake of calories. Foods high in
protein include legumes, grains, soy products, nuts, dairy products
and eggs. Grains such as rice, pasta, breads and cereals provide
the same protein.
Calcium:
Good sources of calcium, especially for vegans, include calcium-fortified
soy and rice milks and orange juice, tofu and dark green leafy
vegetables.
Vitamin
D: Children regularly exposed to appropriate levels of sunlight
-- 20 to 30 minutes per day on the hands and face, two to three
times per week -- apparently have no dietary requirement for vitamin
D. Children with darker skin or who have limited exposure to sunlight
may require vitamin supplements. Dietary sources of vitamin D
include fortified cow's milk, some brands of soy or rice milk
and most dry cereals.
Iron:
Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common childhood nutritional
problem, but it's no more likely to occur in vegetarian children
than non-vegetarians. Good sources of iron include whole or enriched
grains, iron-fortified cereals, legumes, green leafy vegetables
and dried fruits.
Vitamin
B12: Vegan children should eat foods fortified with vitamin
B12, including fortified soy milk, fortified nutritional yeast
and some breakfast cereals.
Zinc:
Sources include legumes, hard cheeses, whole grain products, wheat
germ, nuts and tofu.
Source:
Raising Children As Vegetarians: Planning And Variety Are The
Keys (press release) http://www.eatright.org/Public/Media/PublicMedia_10879.cfm
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Vegetarian Diets
and Eating Disorders
There has been concern that a plant-based diet may place children
at higher risk of eating disorders. This concern stems from the observation
that vegetarian diets are more common among teens with disordered eating
patterns.
But many experts
agree that adopting a vegetarian diet does not lead to eating disorders.
Instead, teens who are predisposed to disordered eating often use vegetarianism
as another tool to legitimize an overly restrictive diet.
Family Meals
Just because your teen is vegetarian, it doesn't mean you have
to prepare an entirely different meal. The best strategy is to offer
several easy side dishes so that your child has something to choose
when the family is eating a meat-based meal. Examples include salads,
yogurt, tofu, baked beans, fruit and vegetables that the entire family
enjoys.
Who knows? You may
find that everyone starts including more healthful plant-based foods
in their diet. Celebrate the positive!
Sources:
Vegetarian Diets – Position of the American Dietetic Association,
J Am Diet Assoc. 1997;97:1317-1321.
Vegetarian Nutrition
for Teenagers, by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., RD
http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/teennutrition.htm
