Vegetarian and meat-eating children have similar growth and nutrition but not weight, study finds

Key Facts

Children eating a vegetarian diet and children who ate meat were similar in terms of growth, height and nutritional measures, but vegetarian children had higher odds of being underweight, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
"Over the last 20 years we have seen growing popularity of plant-based diets and a changing food environment with more access to plant-based alternatives, however we have not seen the research into the nutritional outcomes of children following vegetarian diets in Canada," said Dr. Jonathon Maguire, the study's lead author and a pediatrician at St. Michael's Hospital of Unity Health Toronto, in a news release.
Being underweight can be a sign of malnutrition and can indicate that one's diet isn't enough to support appropriate growth, according to the study news release.
GUIDELINES BY COUNTRY When feeding babies and children a vegetarian diet, parents should ensure regular consumption of eggs, dairy products, soy products and nuts or seeds, in addition to vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, grains and oils, the current US Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend.