| Abstrakt: |
INTRODUCTION Vegan diets are free of all flesh foods, eggs, dairy products, and sometimes honey. In the last decade, the prevalence of a vegan diet in Europe has increased by 350% (Ferrara et al., 2017). In Great Britain, the number of vegans quadrupled between 2014 and 2018 (Nils-Gerritt, 2020) in spite of recommendations from several organizations within Europe against adhering to a vegan diet in pregnancy, infancy, and childhood (Lemale et al., 2019; Fewtrell et al., 2017; Richter et al., 2016). These recommendations are based on a high risk of nutrient deficiencies, including B12, iron and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), among vegans. B12 is the biggest concern (Pawlak & Bell, 2017; Richter et al., 2016; Sanders, 2009). Foods of plant origin do not contain B12 unless they are fortified (Herbert, 1988) and the requirement for B12 is higher both in pregnancy and lactation, compared to other stages of the lifecycle (European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, 2015). Studies with vegans, mainly non-pregnant and non-lactating adults, show a high prevalence of B12 deficiency (Pawlak et al., 2013) and dozens of case reports have been published describing B12 deficiency symptoms among children breastfed by vegan mothers and/or receiving a vegan diet (Daphna et al., 2010). Yet there are benefits as well of a vegan diet in both adulthood and childhood. These include a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, some cancers, ischemic heart disease and of becoming obese (Tong et al., 2019; Pawlak, 2017; Turner-McGrievy et al., 2017; Tantamango-Bartley et al, 2013). Plant protein intake decreases, while animal protein increases the risk of ovulatory infertility (Chavarro et al., 2008). Beef intake by pregnant women has been associated with lower testosterone concentration in male children (Swan et al., 2007) and barbecued meat in pregnancy has been associated with a significant deficit in birth weight (Jedrychowski et al., 2012). Vegan diets do not require killing animals for food, are friendlier to the environment, and have less impact on global warming. Therefore, although a vegan diet carries a high risk of nutrient deficiencies, in light of its many benefits, it is appropriate that health professionals should support vegans, rather than discouraging them, and provide education in how to optimize nutrient intake. The goal of this paper is to review information about B12 among vegans and offer guidelines for practitioners supporting vegan pregnant and lactating women and their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
