A vegan diet endangers children’s health! Veganism is widespread and a popular diet these days. For adults, this is largely harmless to health if the menu offers enough variety. However, more and more parents are now serving their children exclusively vegan foods. Pediatricians criticize this since a completely animal-free diet endangers the health of the children and can even lead to death.
Vegan Diet: Harmful to Children
More and more parents are feeding their children animal-free foods. However, a vegan diet is a deliberate threat to the well-being of the child, as the director of the Regensburg University Hospital for Pediatric Medicine, Prof. Michael Melter, explains to the “Bild am Sonntag”. By not eating animal-based foods, there would be a nutrient deficiency, which would lead to delayed growth, According to Prof. Michael Melter, the worst consequence for the children is death.
In addition to physical damage, the intense control that vegan diets require often leads to eating disorders. The pediatrician Dr. Barbara Mühlfeld speaks from experience and emphasizes: “There is a clear connection between veganism in children and anorexia”.
Some parents celebrate veganism like religion and do everything they can to keep their children healthy, but don’t realize the drastic consequences, explains Dr. Josef Kahl, Federal Press Spokesman of the Professional Association of Pediatricians. It is difficult to explain to “missionary” parents the negative consequences of vegan nutrition for their children.
That’s what nutritional science says
According to the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN), children should not be fed a vegan diet as this increases the risk of severe neurological disorders and developmental delays for the child.
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) also advises against vegan nutrition in sensitive phases of life, such as pregnancy, breastfeeding, and childhood: Due to growth, children have high demands on nutrient density with low nutrient stores at the same time. The result is an increased risk of undersupply or nutrient deficiency.
Particularly critical nutrients are protein, iron, calcium, iodine, zinc, vitamins B2, B12, and D, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. The development and health of the children can be seriously damaged if the offspring are only fed vegan.
A nutrient deficiency can lead to blood formation disorders (iron and vitamin B12 deficiency), growth retardation (energy-protein malnutrition), and sometimes irreversible neurological disorders such as mental retardation (vitamin B12 and iodine deficiency). An insufficient supply of the mother with the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can also have a negative impact on the development of the infant’s brain and retina.
