Plant-Based Diets in Children: Secular Trends, Health Outcomes, and a Roadmap for Urgent Practice Recommendations and Research-A Systematic Review
Review Nutrients . 2024 Mar 1;16(5):723. doi: 10.3390/nu16050723.
Malgorzata A Desmond 1, Mary S Fewtrell 1, Jonathan C K Wells 1
People are increasingly encouraged to reduce animal food consumption and shift towards plant-based diets; however, the implications for children's health are unclear. In this narrative review of research in high-income settings, we summarize evidence on the increasing consumption of plant-based diets in children and update an earlier systematic review regarding their associations with children's health outcomes. The evidence indicates that vegan, but not vegetarian, diets can restrict growth relative to omnivorous children and increase the risk of being stunted and underweight, although the percentage affected is relatively small. Bone mineral content is reduced in vegetarian and, in particular, vegan children, compared to omnivores.
Both vegetarian and vegan children who do not use vitamin B12 supplements manifest with B12 deficiency; however, supplementation rectifies this problem.
Both vegetarians and vegans have lower concentrations of 25(OH)D if unsupplemented, and lower body iron stores, but usually have normal iron metabolism markers. Both groups are at risk of iodine deficiency, and this might affect thyroid health. Children consuming a vegan diet have a more favorable lipid profile than omnivorous children; however, the results for a vegetarian diet are inconsistent and vary by outcome. Based on the same scientific evidence, national and international dietary recommendations are heterogeneous, with some countries supporting plant-based diets among infants, children, and adolescents, and others discouraging them. We offer a research roadmap, highlighting what is needed to provide adequate evidence to harmonize dietary recommendations for plant-based diets in children. A number of measures should urgently be introduced at international and national levels to improve the safety of their use in children.
Vitamin D Life
- Not a single case of multiple sclerosis in 15,000,000 people (plant-based diets)
- Severe COVID-19 risk similarly reduced by Vitamin D and plant-based diets – June 2021
Vitamin D Life – Vitamin B12 contains
Vitamin B12 is not a cofactor of Vitamin D, but it is often needed with Vitamin D
Surfing the web finds
- B12 deficiency increases with age
- B12 appears to have no toxic upper limit
- Some people get frequent B12 injections or I.V, to restore levels
- Injection may not be needed
- Only a small portion of B12 taken orally gets into the bloodstream
- Sublingual B12 may not have that problem
- B12 is stored in the liver – half-life of > 2 years - But. Dr. Greger says to take it weekly or daily
- B12 deficiency symptoms include poor gut - which can reduce uptake of Vitamin D
- unless use gut-friendly forms of Vitamin D, including topical
- B12 can be supplemented via pills, sublingual, transdermal patch, injection, emulsion, and spray
- As with Vitamin D, a massive (loading) dose can restore levels quickly
- Nano forms of B12 are more bio-available - as with many other supplements
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