Vegetarian Diet and Dietary Intake, Health, and Nutritional Status in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: A...

Background/Objectives: More children and adolescents are adopting vegetarian diets. A balanced diet is particularly important for growth and bone development in children. It is important to clarify whether a vegetarian diet affects these processes. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify studies investigating differences in anthropometric data, nutrient intake, and biomarkers between vegetarian and omnivorous children. Methods: PUBMED, MEDLINE, and Web of Science Core Collections were searched between the end of 2014 and 2023. We included peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials, intervention, or observational studies that were published in English or German and investigated the differences between healthy children and adolescents from high-income countries who consumed either a vegetarian or an omnivorous diet. The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. If at least five values with the same unit were available from different studies, a cumulative analysis of selected parameters was conducted. Due to the participants' varying ages across the studies, limited cumulative analyses were conducted additionally by age category. Results: A total of 1681 studies were screened, of which 20 met the inclusion criteria. Significant differences were found in fiber and energy intake from carbohydrates and proteins. The results were strengthened by the restricted cumulative analysis of the 2-10 age category, which also revealed significant differences when comparing VG and OM. Conclusions: A higher intake of fiber, more energy from carbohydrates, and sufficient energy from proteins and less from fat can be regarded as the benefits of a vegetarian diet, according to this review. There are also the first indications of enhanced vitamin C and E, iron, folate, and magnesium intake. These characteristics can be regarded as potential benefits of a vegetarian diet. A lower vitamin B12 and vitamin D intake has been identified as a potential risk factor. Further longitudinal, prospective, observational studies are needed. Prospero registration date and number: 6 March 2023, CRD42023402301.