NUTRITION AUTHOR
Katara Gurugopal
HEALTHY DIETS, HEALTHY KIDS n Are vegan, vegetarian and
pescatarian diets healthy for kids, or do they do more harm than good?
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iets are becoming an increasingly popular trend, not only in Austin but across the country. However, are these diets safe to follow on a regular basis, especially for children? Many think diets like veganism or vegetarianism provide clean nutrition while others don’t think they provide enough nutrients. One thing most people can agree on is that a balanced meal is crucial, regardless of the person’s age. A nationwide study conducted by The Vegetarian Resource Group found that about 3% of Americans aged anywhere between 8 and 18 considered themselves vegetarian or vegan. This may not seem like much but nationwide, this amounts to approximately 1.4 million people. And, according to Austin-based certified dietician Sarah Harris, this amount is only growing. “As people have become more aware (of ) ethical farming practices, especially in places like Austin,
AUGUST 2022
(people) are very conscientious of what kinds of meats they’re buying and want to find locally raised and pasture-raised meats,” Harris says. “Those aren’t always accessible, so a lot of people tend to lean more toward vegetarianism.” Additionally, a MinnPost article analyzed a study, showing that only 0.25% of American children had an ideal diet by 2016. Rather, 67% of teens had poor diets, and 53% of kids aged between 8 and 11 had poor diets as well. So are vegan and vegetarian diets beneficial for children? Or do they do more harm than good? Harris, who has been working in children’s nutrition for more than 12 years, says she supports kids following these diets, as long as they’re getting the nutrients they need. “I like to think of these diets more as plant-based because we get the benefits by making sure we are including as many plants as possible when we choose to stay away from meats and animal products,” Harris
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