At the KAHN CENTER, we teach the extensive science of plant diets for disease prevention and reversal and health optimization. Obstacles can be spouses and children that do not follow the same diet pattern, including infants. I am asked often if infants can be raised vegan?
A new study has provided reassurance that the answer is yes if done with care.
STUDY
The safety of plant-based family diets, particularly vegan diets, during pregnancy and infancy is debated. Large population data on infant growth are scarce.
To examine whether family dietary patterns (vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous) are associated with growth trajectories, weight, and length among infants.
A retrospective cohort study used data collected from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2023, from a national network of public family care centers in Israel providing health and developmental surveillance for infants.
The primary outcome was infant length. Secondary outcomes included weight, head circumference, stunting (length-for-age z score less than –2), underweight (weight-for-length z score less than –2), and overweight (weight-for-length z score >2). Growth trajectories were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models, and nutritional status at birth, early infancy (ie, first 60 days of life), and 24 months were analyzed using logistic regression.
RESULTS
Among 1,198, 818 infants, 98.5% were from omnivorous households; 0.3% from vegan households, and 1.2% from vegetarian households.
Differences in early-infancy length and length-for-age z scores among dietary groups were small and stunting prevalence was similar across groups (from 7.0% in the vegan and vegetarian groups to 7.1% in the omnivorous group), while underweight was more common in infants in the vegan vs omnivorous groups.
By age 24 months, stunting prevalence declined to 3.1%, 3.4%, and 3.9% in omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan groups, respectively, with no significant differences among the groups.
Underweight and overweight were also low, with no differences by dietary group at age 24 months.
Mean differences for weight, length, and head circumference were clinically minor.
CONCLUSIONS
In this cohort study, infants from vegan households had growth patterns similar to those from omnivorous households, with a higher odds of early underweight that decreased by age 24 months.
In the context of developed countries, these findings seem reassuring.
Further research should examine vegan diet quality and the impact of nutritional counseling during pregnancy and infancy in supporting optimal infant development.
At the KAHN CENTER, we deal with families have children and grandchildren and we will share the reassuring news that even infants and young children can be raised on diets of plant source when with care and quality.
