Q&A

MY QUESTION IS ABOUT A CHILD I KNOW WHO IS VEGETARIAN BUT HAS AVERY LIMITED RANGE OF THINGS HE WILL EAT. MACARONI AND CHEESE IS HIS STAPLE, BUT HE EATS SOME EGGS, PEANUT BUTTER, APPLES, FORTIFIED ORANGE JUICE, CARROTS, BREAD, CHEESE PIZZA AND A FEW SWEETS--THAT IS IT. HE DOES LIKE MILK BUT IS EXPERIENCING ACID REFLUX AS WELL AS ASTHMA. IS THIS DIET ACCEPTABLE FOR NORMAL GROWTH AND HEALTH? HE IS 11 AND IS A SELF-MADE VEGETARIAN IN A FAMILY OF NON-VEGETARIANS. IS THIS OKAY OR IS THIS AN EATING DISORDER OF SOME TYPE?

Offhand I would say that this sounds fairly good, though I would encourage the child to eat more vegetables. Unless he is trying to lose weight or showing great concern about the calories that he's consuming, I would rule out an eating disorder. It's normal for children to go through periods of picky eating, and the family's dynamics concerning food can play a big role in encouraging or discouraging the child's attitude toward food. When a child is the only vegetarian in a family of meat-eaters, you sometimes find a situation where the child is only offered certain options because the family is unaware of the wide variety of vegetarian foods available. Sadly, some families refuse to buy vegetarian substitutes in the hope that the child will "break down" and finally eat meat (and/or eggs and dairy).

Regarding the list of foods, I looked for a number of things: protein, calcium, iron, zinc, B-12, fruits and vegetables. A registered dietitian would take a more in-depth look, and this is what I would recommend for the child, especially if he's not growing properly. Otherwise, his needs for all these things other than vegetables are being met, If he's eating the foods you mentioned in quantities sufficient to meet the calorie requirements of a growing boy. This is impossible to determine without keeping a food diary and having a nutrition professional evaluate it.

I would encourage the family to buy frozen veggie burgers, encourage exploration with other fruits and vegetables, continue to provide fortified orange juice on a daily basis, and to choose as many whole grain bread and pasta products as possible. I would warn them not to rely too heavily on eggs and cheese for the child's protein because of the high saturated fat and cholesterol content in these foods, but rather to provide other options as well, like packaged meat substitutes (veggie burgers, hot dogs, faux chicken nuggets, etc.). I would not recommend cutting any of the foods he currently eats out of his diet, considering the limited list of foods he will eat, but adding to this list slowly and patiently.

Let me stress that if the family has any concerns about the boy's health, they should make an appointment with a dietitian knowledgeable in vegetarian nutrition. They can easily find one through the dietitian search engine located on the website of the American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org.

Finally, please have this family, including the child, visit our website www.vegetarianteen.com, where they will find support and information on young vegetarians.

MY 1-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER STOPPED BREASTFEEDING TWO MONTHS AGO ON HER OWN. I'm SURE IT HAD TO DO WITH HER GOING BACK TO DAYCARE. ANYWAY, SHE IS ON SOY FORMULA, AND AT HER ONE-YEAR CHECKUP THE DOCTOR SAID I SHOULD WEAN HER FROM THE BOTTLE AND GIVE HER WHOLE MILK. I DID GIVE HER MILK PRODUCTS BEFORE (AT 5 MONTHS), BUT SHE VOMITED AND GOT SICK THE TWO TIMES I GAVE IT TO HER. WE HAVE TRIED TO GIVE HER WHOLE MILK AND REGULAR SOYMILK, BUT SHE WON'T DRINK IT. THE DOCTOR SAID SHE NEEDS THE FATS FROM MILK FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, BUT IS THERE ANY RESEARCH ON GETTING THE FATS SOMEWHERE ELSE? I DON'T WANT HER BRAIN UNDERDEVELOPED!

It sounds like your daughter may be allergic to milk. She could grow out of it, but there is no reason to push it with all the healthy milk alternatives available these days. Babies and toddlers do need fat for energy, and certain kinds of fat for brain development, but not the kind you find in milk! Even many doctors are mistaken about that fact. There are several different issues here, and it's easy to get them confused, especially with all the pro-milk propaganda we hear and see.

First, kids do need fats for growth and energy. The healthiest kinds are unsaturated and cholesterol free, like those found in fortified soymilk, tofu, avocados, nuts, etc. The human body produces all the cholesterol it needs, so no supplementation through the diet is necessary. The current research says that even newborns produce enough cholesterol for their own needs.

Children also need DHA and EPA for brain and eye development, which are available in the breast milk of healthy mothers and in some commercial formulas, but are also available from walnuts, soy products (tofu, tempeh, soymilk), flax seed and flax seed oil.

For vegan toddlers (if over one year), doctors suggest moving to regular--not low fat--fortified soymilk after breastfeeding stops, or along with breastfeeding after one year if the child continues to nurse. They also recommend including healthy high fat foods like those listed above. You should also include flaxseed oil and/or flaxseed regularly.