As more families turn to plant-based diets, a key question has emerged: can vegan or vegetarian eating patterns adequately support a child’s growth and development? A new international meta-analysis-the largest of its kind, encompassing data on over 48,000 children under 18 across 18 countries-offers evidence-based insight into this increasingly common dietary choice. Published in Critical reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, the study suggests that well-planned plant-based diets can meet children’s nutritional needs, though careful attention to certain nutrients is essential.
A well-planned and supplemented plant-based diet can adequately support the normal growth and development of children and adolescents, according to the findings of the largest international meta-analysis to date. The research, published recently in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, also suggests potential cardiovascular benefits for young people following vegetarian or vegan diets. This is a growing area of interest as more families explore plant-based eating patterns for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.
Researchers from the University of Florence in Italy, New York University in the United States, and Deakin University in Australia, jointly conducted the study. They analyzed data from 59 observational studies conducted across 18 countries, encompassing a total of over 48,000 individuals under the age of 18. The analysis compared growth, nutritional intake, and health indicators among children and teenagers with different dietary patterns.
The study included 7,280 children following a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, 1,289 adhering to a vegan diet, and 40,059 with an omnivorous diet. This meta-analysis represents the most extensive investigation to date into plant-based diets in children.
Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, and fish but allow for dairy and eggs. Vegan diets, on the other hand, completely exclude all animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, and even honey. An omnivorous diet includes both plant and animal-based foods without restriction.
The analysis revealed that children on vegan diets consumed higher amounts of dietary fiber, iron, folate, vitamin C, and magnesium compared to those with omnivorous diets. However, their total energy intake, as well as intake of protein, fat, vitamin B12, and zinc, tended to be lower. Nutritional patterns among children on lacto-ovo vegetarian diets were generally similar to those on vegan diets, though research on vegetarian children was more limited.
Vitamin B12 emerged as a critical nutrient of concern. Researchers noted that because vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal products, it can be difficult to achieve recommended intake levels on a plant-based diet without supplementation or fortified foods. Calcium, iodine, and zinc intake were also frequently found to be at the lower end of recommended ranges.
“Vitamin B12 was almost impossible to obtain sufficiently without supplementation,” explained Janet Beesley, Associate Professor and co-author of the study. “Calcium deficiency was particularly prominent in vegan children.”
Despite these potential nutritional limitations, plant-based diets were associated with positive cardiovascular health indicators. Children following vegetarian or vegan diets had lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels compared to their omnivorous counterparts, a finding that could translate to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease later in life.
When it came to growth and body composition, some differences were observed. Vegetarian children were, on average, slightly shorter and lighter, with lower body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and bone mineral content. Vegan children also showed a tendency towards lower height and BMI compared to those on omnivorous diets. However, researchers emphasized that these differences do not necessarily indicate growth faltering and can be addressed with appropriate dietary planning and supplementation.
“Based on the current evidence, well-planned and adequately supplemented vegetarian and vegan diets can meet children’s nutritional needs and support healthy growth,” said Monica Dinu, lead author of the study and a researcher in experimental and clinical medicine at the University of Florence. “Families choosing plant-based diets for ethical, environmental, or health reasons do not need to be discouraged from doing so.”
The research team recommends that parents implementing plant-based diets for their children do so systematically and seek guidance from healthcare professionals, such as registered dietitians or pediatricians. They highlighted the importance of focusing on key nutrients like vitamin B12, calcium, iodine, iron, and zinc, as nutritional requirements increase rapidly during growth.
The analysis did have some limitations. Many of the included studies were cross-sectional, and there was variability in study design and participant populations. Additionally, accurately measuring children’s actual dietary intake presented structural challenges. As a result, the researchers emphasized the need for long-term follow-up studies and standardized research designs to establish more definitive guidelines for plant-based diets in growing children.
