Prejudice against vegetarian nutrition

- press release from the European Vegetarian Union (EVU)

24 February 2005

It is not new that attempts are being made to discredit the vegetarian way of life. The most recent case is a particularly remarkable combination of scientifically untenable statements, extreme living conditions of the children under observation, and obvious financial involvement of the meat industry.

Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington, Prof. Lindsay Allen of the University of California made serious accusations: "Animal source foods have some nutrients which are not found anywhere else. If you're talking about feeding young children and pregnant women and lactating women I would go as far as to say it is unethical to withhold these foods during that period of life. "

Unethical? The European Vegetarian Union, an umbrella for most European Vegetarian Organisations, wants to put the record straight:

1. Professor Allen's lecture was based on a study (1) with 544 children in Kenya who ate a very unbalanced diet, many suffered from several health problems, including amebiasis, a source of intestinal blood loss which leads to a deficiency of B12 and iron. It is well known that vitamin B12 deficiency can impair the cognitive development of children and so it comes as no surprise that additional B12 brought about positive health effects. However, even though the children suffered from multiple micronutrient deficiencies, increased plasma Vitamin B-12 proved to be the only detectable micronutrient response to meat or milk supplementation. (2)

However, it must be stressed that of the three tests (Raven's Progressive Matrices test, verbal meaning and arithmetic) only the first shows a better development of the meat-group. Regarding the verbal meaning and arithmetic tests, the nutrition supplement without any animal products (but with vegetable oil) shows the best results. In all three tests the milk-group had the poorest results; the Raven-test results in that group were even worse than in the control group. If these malnourished children had received a carefully planned vegetarian diet, their health would have improved even more.

2. In some newspapers, reference is made to unspecified "studies of vegetarians in both the United States and Europe/Holland" implying that missing out on meat and dairy products could permanently damage a child's development.

a. These reports are challenged by living proof:
- Indians have been vegetarians for hundreds or even thousands of years. There is not the slightest indication that this way of life has "impaired" them in any way - just the opposite.
- Children in some European families are vegetarians in the fourth or fifth generation and they are bright and healthy.
- Long term vegetarians are appalled by the statements of Prof Allen. Sir Paul McCartney, himself father of four healthy and successful vegetarian children, dismisses her claims as "rubbish".

b. In their position paper "Vegetarian Diets", the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada (ADA), the nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals with nearly 70,000 members, states that "appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. [?] Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits?"(3)

3. Even to impartial observers, the research mentioned by Professor Allen raises some doubts as to its neutrality: it was presented at the conference "Animal Source Foods and Nutrition in Developing Countries" held in Washington, D.C. June 24-26, 2002 and sponsored by Global Livestock-CRSP. Supplement publication was supported by Food and Agriculture Organization, Land O'Lakes Inc., Heifer International, Pond Dynamics and Aquaculture-CRSP. The National Cattleman's Beef Association partly supported the project.

Conclusion: The European Vegetarian Union wants to point out that a vegetarian diet needs to be balanced, just like any other one. However, comprehensive studies conducted over long periods and with thousands of participants have proven again and again that the vegetarian way of life is a very healthy one.

Renato Pichler
acting President
European Vegetarian Union (EVU)

Contact: EVU Secretariat
Phone: +32 65 362584, e-mail: evu@ivu.org

(1) http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/3941S
(2) http://www.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/3972S
(3) http://www.eatright.org/Public/NutritionInformation/92_17084.cfm

Source: European Vegetarian Union Press Release
Author: EVU

Link: European Vegetarian Union
Link: Statement Vegan Society UK
Link: Statement VegSource
Link: Statement VVF
Link: Why Be Vegetarian?