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No meat, no fish, no milk, no honey, no eggs: those who eat vegan do not have any animal products. Rigorously. About 1.3 million Germans live in this way, as a survey 2016 revealed. The trend is rising. The data also show: Who is vegan and has children, likes to attract offspring.
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Is this now responsible – who eats vegan, at best ultimately protects animals and environment – or irresponsible, because life-threatening for little ones?
According to German Society for Nutrition, answer is clear (pdf): “For pregnant women, nursing, infants, children and adolescents, a vegan diet is not recommended by DGE,” it says in an opinion. In a purely herbal diet, sufficient supply of some nutrients is not possible or difficult.
In fact, in recent decades, numerous studies have pointed that a vegan diet can be harmful to children. Recent studies also show that, under strict conditions, it is possible to minimise health risks.
“Vegan diet can be lethal”
There are numerous reports of children suffering from a vegan diet. The most impressive extreme case so far has occurred in 1980s. At that time, two doctors from 25 infants reported acute deficiency symptoms: Their bodies lacked iron, vitamin B12 and zinc. Most of m were malnourished, all growth retarded. Among or things, nutrient deficiency had made her susceptible to infection, three children died on arrival at hospital, five shortly reafter.
The parents of children belonged to a sect that prescribed a vegan diet without any additions. In a subsequent publication it was said: it was not possible to find a diet that could satisfy both vegan philosophy of sect and Children (Pediatrics: Shinwell/Gorodischer, 1982). Sixteen years later, anor team wrote for this example: “Vegan diet can be lethal [for children].” (Nutrition and Health: Hackett et al., 1998)
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In latter essay, researchers mention numerous or publications that show how harmful vegan nutrition can be for children. Most studies are old and experimental groups are small. They refore do not say anything about current situation of vegan children in Germany.
However, re is always talk of growth delay and nutrient deficiency – all observations that a recent study from Germany supports. Their preliminary result: ten percent of vegan and six percent of vegetarian children who have studied researchers are too small for ir age.
