Swedish Health Officials Warn Against Vegan Diet For Children

Despite the popularity of vegan diets, Swiss health officials have warned that parents who impose the diet on their children could put their kids’ well being at risk.

In a statement, Swiss officials noted that the lack of vitamin B12, which is seriously deficient in Vegan diets, in their main cause of concern. Without the vitamin, children can experience health problems early on in their lives.

"With vegans of a young age, a lack of vitamin B12 can lead to irreversible damage to the nervous system,” Andrea Superti-Furga, professor of pediatrics at Lausanne's CHUV hospital, said.

Vitamin B12 is important for the functioning of the nervous system and brain, as well as a number of other important body functions like the production of blood. Young children normally receive the nutrient by breastfeeding, which is denied to them in the case of Vegan mothers.

Superti-Furga added that parents want the best for their children, but that they are sometimes overly idealistic. She also noted that while baby’s have a natural reserve of Vitamin B12 in their bodies for one year, the nutrients found in a mother’s breast milk is also necessary for healthy development.

Swedish officials noted that the special diet has increased fourfold in the last decade to almost one percent of the Swiss population, or 80,000 people, and that the diet is also popular in the rest of Europe.

"Vegan food is not recommended for young children," the statement read. "It can cause serious harm."

The Schqeiz am Sonntag newspaper noted that at least a dozen Swiss children are treated for malnutrition each year because of strictly enforced vegan diets.

Despite the new research, the Swiss vegan association has maintained that more and more children are following a vegan diet and that the life choice for children is a healthy one.

Source: Breitbart