Study Finds Similar Growth in Children With Vegetarian Diets, but Also Higher Odds of Being Underweight

Children with a vegetarian diet showed similar growth and nutritional measures compared with children without a vegetarian diet but were more likely to have underweight status, according to a longitudinal study in Toronto, Canada. The study, “Vegetarian Diet, Growth, and Nutrition in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Cohort Study,” will be published in the June 2022 Pediatrics (published online May 2). Researchers studied nearly 9,000 children, ages 6 months to 8 years, who participated in a cohort study that analyzed the relationship between vegetarian diet and weight status, height, micro-nutrient stores and serum lipids. Data was collected between 2008 and 2019, and children were followed for an average of 2.8 years. The study also found that children who consumed cow’s milk had higher cholesterol levels than children who did not drink cow’s milk. However, children with and without a vegetarian diet who consumed the recommended 2 cups of cow’s milk per day had similar serum lipids. Because being underweight is an indicator of undernutrition, the authors emphasized the need for special care when planning the diets of vegetarian children.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.