Food for Thought

"I think people shouldn't just embark on a vegan diet because it's on trend, and they're following some Instagram guru."
"They should delve deeper and understand that there are nutrient shortfalls."
"Full-blown B12 deficiency is not very common in today's society. [Deriving enough vitamin D the 'sunshine vitamin' from diet is of greater concern , vital for the health of bones, teeth and immune system]."
"Vitamin D-rich foods are mainly oily fish, eggs and things like that [difficult to attain on a vegetarian and vegan diet]."
Helen Bond, dietitian, consultant, spokesperson, British Dietetic Association

Vegan and vegetarian diets could affect your chances of a heart attack (Photo: Getty)

"We observed lower rates of ischaemic heart disease in fish eaters and vegetarians than in meat eaters, which appears to be at least partly due to lower body mass index and lower rates of high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes associated with these diets."
Oxford University researchers

“It is based on results from just one study and the increase is modest relative to meat eaters,”'
“Relevance to vegetarians worldwide must also be considered. Participants were all from the UK where dietary patterns and other lifestyle behaviours are likely very different from those prevalent in low and middle-income countries where most of the world’s vegetarians live.”
Professor Mark Lawrence, Public Health Nutrition, Deakin University, Australia

"It does seem that the lower risk of coronary heart diseases does exceed the higher risk of stroke, if we look at the absolute numbers."
"There is some evidence which suggests that very low cholesterol levels might be associated with a slightly higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke."
"[Similarly, other research points to deficiencies of some nutrients, like vitamin B12, may be linked to a higher risk of stroke]."
Tammy Tong, Study lead researcher, nutritional epidemiologist, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford

A major study published last week in the British Medical Journal by researchers from Oxford University concludes there is a 20 percent higher risk of stroke among vegetarians and vegans as compared with people those diets include red meat; for that matter any kind of meat. It is the authors' educated guess that this might occur as a result of vegetarians lacking sufficient blood cholesterol. Close to 50,000 Britons were tracked for this study for a period of 18 years.

Conventional wisdom claims vegetarianism represents a healthier alternative to a carnivorous diet, quite the opposite of what this research concludes, in part. Yet, according to nutritionists, an increased risk of stroke represents merely one of the many health risks to complicate the health of vegetarians and people should be aware before they decide to opt for the kind of diet that depends solely on vegetables to the exclusion of meat entirely.

Dietitian Helen Bond feels the results of the Oxford study should be viewed with serious concern. Although the 20 percent accelerated risk in practical terms is "quite small", sample size taken into account (equating to three additional cases of stroke per 1,000 people over ten years), those whose diets avoid meat entirely fail to understand the entire implications of their choice on their health outcomes.

Nutritionist Emma Derbyshire wrote recently in the British Medical Journal that vegans face the potential of deficiency in choline, a nutrient critical for brain health, and one found commonly in eggs, milk and beef. Choline influences memory, mood and muscle control. Although vegans could conceivably reach requisite levels of choline from alternate sources, it is not fully understood by most vegans to impel them to take the necessaryremedial action.

As for B12, also critical to brain health, it is sourced only through the inclusion of animal products in the balanced diet. Lacking this critical vitamin, a greater risk of being fatigued is foreseen, along with a weakening of the immune system.

Food for thought, at the very least.

The research found a 20 per cent increase [Photo: Getty]

“It’s important to emphasize that we’ve looked at two outcomes here. The lower risk of heart disease does seem to outweigh the higher risk of stroke", cautions study co-author Tammy Tong, nutritional epidemiologist. For while the study did focus on a slightly elevated risk of stroke for vegans, it also confirmed that according to other studies, vegetarians and vegans may have a lower risk of heart disease than meat-eaters.

Ten fewer cases of heart disease per 1,000 people over 10 years, versus three more instances of strokes in the same population. 

Sound Nutrition Mandated for Good Health

"We must explain to the parents before compelling them, but we can no longer tolerate this endangerment."
"We are talking here about stunted growth and psychomotor delays, under-nutrition, significant anaemia. Some developments must be done at a specific time in life and if they are not done, it is irreversible."
"When we are children, the body manufactures among other things brain cells. That brings with it a major requirement for proteins and essential fatty acids. The body itself does not produce these, they have to be taken in from animal proteins. We are speaking here of retarded growth in height and weight, as well as retarded psycho-motor development, malnutrition an severe anaemia. Some developments have to take place at a precise moment of life. Otherwise, the delay is irreversible. It is not recommended, and may even be forbidden, to submit a child, in particular during periods of rapid growth, to a potentially destabilizing diet."
Professor Georges Casimir,  Queen Fabiola Children's Hospital

"What a load of ignorant codswallop! A well-planned vegan diet is perfect for babies and children."
"But as with any dietary regime, it's the parents' responsibility to ensure their child is getting all the necessary nutrients."
Dawn Carr, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

"It's possible to provide all the nutrients needed for growth and development without animal products."
"[It is] recognized that well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages, including infants, children, teenagers and pregnant and breastfeeding women."
Heather Russell, dietitian, The Vegan Society

"[The demise of 7-month-old baby Lucas was] the result of the systematic offer of food that was not suitable."
"[Because of that imposed diet], his health was seriously impeded and he eventually died [three years ago, weighing only 4.3 kilograms (9.5 pounds), barely 1 kilogram [2.2 pounds] more in weight than when he was born]."
"It is clear that the defendants have already been severely punished because they need to proceed with life in the knowledge that they are responsible for the death of their son, who they truly loved."
Judge Mieke Butstraen, Belgian court, June 2017

Professor Casimir was instrumental in leading the commission responsible for writing a report issued by the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium. It has the recognized authority of a legal opinion. And that legal opinion reached through a collaboration of medical and scientific professionals could very much influence future court judgements in Belgium where a number of deaths have occurred in schools, nurseries and hospitals, all traced to the fact that Belgian parents are placing their children on vegan diets.

The couple in Beveren, convicted of withholding a nutritious diet from their baby who died of malnutrition and dehydration, fed the infant vegetable 'milk' exclusively. Because the judge considered that the loss of their youngest child entirely the result of their choice of nutrition for him represented punishment sufficient unto itself, they were given a six-month suspended sentence. The seven-month-old's vital organs were considerably smaller than they should have been, with no fat surrounding them.

Estimates of the number of children in Belgium affected by their parents' decision to feed them a strictly vegan diet run to three percent. And because there has been a rash of infant and child deaths linked to the vegan diet, doctors in Belgium now call for prosecution of parents who persist in withholding a more normal diet from their children. According to the Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium the legal opinion they have produced states it to be unethical to subject children to veganism.

A vegan diet is exclusive of animal proteins and vital amino acids required by growing children to aid in their development, and in the prevention of health problems. Should such a diet be complemented with medical supervision, blood tests and vitamin supplements, the diet could be made child-safe. But the opinion points out that most parents are not qualified to ensure that these provisions are seen to. The parents of the 7-month-old who died operated a vegan provisions shop and were obviously committed to veganism.

A Belgian official responsible for child protection initiated the study that resulted in the professional opinion. Bernard De Vos, in view of hospitals in Belgium reporting a growth in the number of children reporting with a range of ailments after being fed a vegan diet, felt the situation required a deep analysis and turned to the professional pediatric group for an opinion, feeling it incumbent upon himself to make that request as the country's children's rights commissioner.

A Belgian law dating to 1961 holds that no one can be convicted of "non-assistance to a person in danger", a crime carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison along with fines, if they are unaware they are placing someone in danger even though the recently issued legal opinion makes it common knowledge of the potentially lethal effects of a vegan diet. 

In other words, a public education campaign is required to ensure that all parents are aware of the situation, to refrain from placing their children in danger through an inappropriate diet.

© Pxhere

Feeding a child a vegan diet is “unsuitable and not to be recommended,” according to the Royal Academy of Medicine.