Nutrient Intake and Status of German Children and Adolescents Consuming Vegetarian, Vegan or Omnivore Diets: Results of the VeChi Youth Study.

Ute Alexy,Morwenna Fischer,Stine Weder,Alfred Längler,Markus Keller,Andreas Michalsen,Andreas Sputtek

doi:10.3390/nu13051707

Abstract

There is a lack of data on associations between modern vegetarian and vegan diets and health among children and adolescents. The aim of the Vechi Youth Study was to cross-sectionally examine anthropometry, dietary intakes and nutritional status in a sample of 149 vegetarian, 115 vegan and 137 omnivore children and adolescents (6–18 years old, mean age: 12.7 ± 3.9 years). Group differences of dietary intake (calculated from three-day dietary records), nutrient biomarker and blood lipid concentrations were assessed using an analysis of covariance, adjusted for sex, age and other covariates. The total energy intake did not differ significantly between groups, but intake of carbohydrates was higher among vegetarians and vegans than among omnivores (p = 0.0002, respectively). The median protein intake exceeded 0.9 g/kg body weight/day in all diet groups and was lowest among vegetarians (p < 0.02). There was no significant difference of haemoglobin, vitamin B2, 25-OH vitamin D3, HDL-C and triglycerides blood concentrations between diet groups. Vegan participants had higher folate concentrations than vegetarian participants (p = 0.0053). Ferritin concentration was significantly higher in omnivores than in vegetarians (p = 0.0134) and vegans (p = 0.0404). Vegetarians had lower concentrations of holotranscobalamin (p = 0.0042) and higher concentrations of methylmalonic acid (p = 0.0253) than omnivores. Vegans had the lowest non-HDL-C and LDL-C concentrations in comparison to vegetarians (p = 0.0053 and p = 0.0041) and omnivores (p = 0.0010 and p = 0.0010). A high prevalence (>30%) of 25-OH vitamin D3 and vitamin B2 concentrations below reference values were found irrespective of the diet group. In conclusion, the Vechi Youth Study did not indicate specific nutritional risks among vegetarian and vegan children and adolescents compared to omnivores.

Highlights

Plant-based, i.e., vegetarian and vegan, diets have become more popular in Western societies during the last decades [1], including in children and adolescents
Of the n = 829 children and adolescents registered via recruitment questionnaire, n = 522 (63%) met all inclusion criteria and gave the informed consent to participate in the study
The mean age did not differ between the diet groups, as did height, body weight and BMI standard deviation scores (BMI-SDS) (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Plant-based, i.e., vegetarian (excluding meat and fish) and vegan (excluding all foods from animal origins), diets have become more popular in Western societies during the last decades [1], including in children and adolescents. KiGGS Study, 3.4% of children and adolescents followed a vegetarian (including vegan) diet in 2015–2017, which was an increase since 2006 [2]. As each restriction of food group intake in the diet increases the risk of nutritional deficits, there is a controversy as to whether or not vegetarian and in particular vegan diets are appropriate during growth [4,5]. In an omnivore diet (including both food from animal and plant origins), studies indicate a suboptimal status of vitamin D and iodine in childhood and adolescence [8,9]

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Conclusion