Raising Children on a Vegan Diet: Parents' Opinion on Problems in Everyday Life.

Daisy Bivi,Riccardo Morganti,Teresa Di Chio,Luciana Baroni,Maria Gloria Mumolo,Francesca Geri,Massimo Bellini,Santino Marchi,Nicola De Bortoli,Silvia Goggi,Diego Giampietro Peroni

doi:10.3390/nu13061796

Abstract

A growing number of Italian families are adopting a vegan diet (VD) for their offspring from infancy for various reasons, with health benefits and ethics being the most common reasons. Barriers to effective communication with primary care pediatricians (PCPs) are perceived by many parents and, depending on the actors involved and the environment, a VD may affect social interactions in everyday life. A national cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and September 2020. Parents of children following a VD completed an online questionnaire. Data from 176 Italian parents were collected. About 72% (71.8%) of the children included in this study had been on a VD since weaning. Parents did not inform their primary care pediatricians (PCP) about the VD in 36.2% of the cases. In 70.8% of the cases, PCPs were perceived as skeptical or against a VD. About 70% (71.2%) of the parents relied on medical dietitians, and 28.2% on nutritionists/dietitians for dietary counseling. Parents administered an individual B12 supplement in 87.2% of the cases. To the best of our knowledge, this survey is the first which explores the relationship between vegan parents and their PCPs, the parental management of their children’s diet and problems regarding the implementation of a VD in everyday life.

Highlights

According to the report released by Eurispes in May 2021 [1], people following a vegan diet (VD) are estimated to be 2.4% of the total population in Italy
We found neither association between the quality of information provided by primary care pediatricians (PCP) and the geographical area, nor between the quality of information and the PCPs’ age
As nutrition has a great impact on growth and development, PCPs should be provided with as much information as possible by the parents about the children and their environment, including dietary habits

Summary

Introduction

According to the report released by Eurispes in May 2021 [1], people following a vegan diet (VD) are estimated to be 2.4% of the total population in Italy. Among those who consume no food that comes from animals (meat, eggs, dairy products), there is a growing number of mothers and fathers adopting a VD for their offspring. A VD, defined as a 100% plant-based diet, is the strictest form of vegetarianism as it avoids all animal-derived foods. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets are plant-rich: they exclude meat but include dairy and/or eggs (Figure 1). A VD should include a wide variety of foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pseudocereals, legumes, soy derivatives (e.g., tofu, tempeh), oils, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices [2], which are the most nutrient-dense foods and, as they are at the base of the food chain, the poorest in persistent organic pollutants [3]

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