The risk of vegan diets at gestational and pediatric age: hypotheses, evidence and recommendations

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i10.19105

Keywords:

Pediatrics; Veganism; Malnutrition; B12 vitamin; Ferro.

Abstract

Introduction: Omnivorous food is of paramount importance for the development of children, especially up to nine years of age, since it is through supplements present in animal articles, mostly, that they develop the infant's cognitive, motor, sensitive and linguistic abilities. Thus, a restrictive diet can compromise the child's natural development, due to caloric-protein deficiency, signaled through fatigue, lack of concentration, memory failure, hallucinations, jaundice and reduced cognitive abilities, deficiencies. Objective: To review the current bibliography, the most relevant and available online, on hypothetical and empirical risks, as well as recommendations for vegetarian diets in gestational and pediatric ages. Methods: This is a descriptive research of the integrative literature review type. Results: Children who maintain a diet restricted to veganism are at greater risk of physiological deficits. From this perspective, there must be a balance in the supply of nutrients, taking into account the child's developmental state, to ensure a harmonious growth and development. Conclusion: When choosing to insert a child, even in the first years of life, on a vegetarian or vegan diet, the pediatrician's job is to respect and advise the family, warning of its risks. For this, periodic consultation with the pediatrician and nutritionist is eminently necessary.

References

Agnoli, C., Baroni, L., & Bertini, I. (2017). Position paper on vegetarian diets from the working group of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 27 (1), 1037–1052.

Aguirre, J. A., Donato, M. L., Buscio, Ceballos, V., Armeno, M., Aizpurúa, L. & Arpí, L. (2019). Comprometimento neurológico sério devido à vitamina B12 e deficiência em bebês de mães veganas e vegetarianas Arch Argent Pediatr., 117 (4), 420-424.

Alves, C. A. D. & Cargnin, K. R. N. (2016). Hipovitaminose D em pediatria: recomendações para o diagnóstico, tratamento e prevenção. Departamento Científico de Endocrinologia - Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria, 1-11.

Amaral, J., Ezequiel, M. & Luis, C. (2018). Acidente Vascular Cerebral Isquémico num Lactente Filho de Mãe Vegana. Acta Pediatr Port, 49 (1), 66-70.

Baroni, L., Goggi, S. & Battaglino R. (2018). Vegan nutrition for mothers and children: practical tools for healthcare providers. Nutrients. 11 (5), 1-5.

Barranha, S. G. W. (2017). Alimentação Vegetariana em Idade Pediátrica: Riscos, benefícios e recomendações. Mestrado Integrado em Medicina. Porto. 1-37.

Brown, K. H., Rivera, J. A., & Bhutta, Z. (2004). International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZiNCG) technical document #1. Assessment of the risk of zinc deficiency in populations and options for its control. Food Nutr Bull. 25 (2), 99-203.

Cabral, A. A., Ventura, T. B., Bonazzio, A. B., Torres, V. M., Mourão, B. A., Santana, D. & Silva, C. P. (2020). Implicações Nutricionais da Alimentação Vegetariana e Vegana no Desenvolvimento Infantil: uma Revisão Narrativa. Residência Pediátrica, 332 (1), 1-17.

Craddock, J. C., Neale, E. P., Probst, Y. C. & Peoples, G. E. (2017). Algal supplementation of vegetarian eating patterns improves plasma and serum docosahexaenoicacid concentrations and omega-3 indices: a systematic literature review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 30 (1), 693–699.

Dri, J., Mejía, R. R., Santos, E. G. & Pino, M. (2021). Crecimiento en niños y en hijos de madres que adhieren a dietas vegetarianas: revisión de la literatura. Arch Argent Pediatr. 119(4), 77-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.5546/aap.2021.S77

Dror, D. K. & Allen, L. H. (2008). Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms. Nutr Rev. 66 (1), 250–255.

Garcia, C. P., Cardoso, A. L., Carneiro, J. D. A. & Macedo, A. C. L. (2009). Deficiência de vitamina B12 em lactente alimentado com leite materno. Rev Bras Nutr Clin. 25 (3), 264-266.

González, F. E. & Báez, R. V. (2017). Importância do ômega 3 na nutrição infantil. Revista Paulista de Pediatria, 35 (1), 3-4. https://doi.org/10.1590/1984-0462/;2017;35;1;00018

Guerra, A., Rêgo, C., Silva, D., Ferreira, G.C., Mansilha, H. & Antunes H. (2012). Alimentação e nutrição do lactente. Acta Pediátrica Port. 43 (5), 17-40.

Honzik, T., Adamovicova, M. & Smolka, V. (2010). Clinical presentation and metabolic consequences in 40 breastfed infants with nutritional vitamin B12 deficiency – what have we learned? Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 14 (1), 488–495.

Messina, V. & Mangels, A. R. (2001). Considerations in planning vegan diets: children. J Am Diet Assoc. 101 (1), 661–669.

Müller, P. Vegan Diet in Young Children. Nestlé Nutr Inst Workshop Ser. Basel. 93(1), 103-110.

Penninx, B. W. J. H., Guralnij, J. M., Ferrucci, L., Fried, L. P., Allen, R. H. & Stabler, S. P. (2000). Deficiência e depressão de vitamina B 12 em mulheres idosas com deficiência física: evidências epidemiológicas do estudo de saúde e envelhecimento da mulher. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 157 (1), 715-721.

Renda, M. & Fischer, P. (2009). Dietas vegetarianas em crianças e adolescentes. Pediatr Rev. 30 (1), 1-8.

Roohani, N., Hurrell, R., Kelishadi, R. & Schulin, R. (2013). Zinc and its importance for human health: An integrative review. J Res Med Sci. 18 (1), 144– 157.

Schürmann, S., Kersting, M. & Alexy, U. (2017). Vegetarian diets in children: a systematic review. Eur J Nutr, 1-21.

van Beynum, I. M., den Heijer, M., Thomas, C. M. G., Afman, L., Emmerzaal, D. O. & Blom, H. J. (2005). Total homocysteine and its predictors in Dutch children. Am J Clin Nutr. 81 (5), 1110-1116.

van Winckel, M., Vande, V. S, de Bruyne R. & van Biervliet, S. (2011). Clinical practice: vegetarian infant and child nutrition. Eur J Pediatr. 170 (1), 1489–1494.

Vandenplas, Y., Castrellon, P. G. & Rivas R. (2014). Safety of soya-based infant formulas in children. Br J Nutr. 111 (1), 1340–1360.

Weffort, V. & Lamounier, J. A. (2017). Nutrição em Pediatria: da infância a adolescência, (2a ed.), Editora Manole.

Yen, C. E., Yen, C. H., Huang, M. C., Cheng, C. H. & Huang, Y. C. (2008). Dietary intake and nutritional status of vegetarian and omnivorous preschool children and their parents in Taiwan. Nutr Res. 28 (7), 430 - 436.

Published

15/08/2021

How to Cite

SILVA, C. D.; FIGUEIREDO, B. Q. de .; SOUTO, B. O. V.; ARAÚJO, A. P. F.; COURY, B. F.; BOMFIM, K. C. N.; SOUSA, K. K. de .; MIRANDA, L. D.; GAIA, M. G. G.; FERNANDES, S. R.; OLIVEIRA, R. C. The risk of vegan diets at gestational and pediatric age: hypotheses, evidence and recommendations. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 10, n. 10, p. e442101019105, 2021. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v10i10.19105. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/19105. Acesso em: 22 nov. 2024.

Issue

Section

Health Sciences