Nutrient and Discretionary Food Intake in Vegan Adult Australians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Interest in plant-based diets, including vegan diets is increasing. Yet, there has been limited assessment of the dietary intake of contemporary vegans in Australia. Sixty-six adult Australian vegans completed a four-day, semi-weighed food diary on two occasions. Intake from diet and supplements and diet alone was compared to the Australian Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for selected nutrients. Risk of micronutrient inadequacy was assessed using the cut-point method, with comparison to the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) or Adequate Intake (AI). The contribution of Discretionary Food (DF) intake to total energy intake was examined. A total of 466 days of dietary data were analysed after screening for under-reporting. Macronutrient distribution matched the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution ranges (AMDR). Total protein intake aligned with measures of adequacy and guidelines for optimal protein intake. Nutrients most at risk in our sample were vitamin B12, calcium, iodine, selenium, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Supplementation did not fully resolve under-consumption. DFs contributed 24.2% ± 11.8% to total energy intake. Our data show that macronutrient intake for adult vegans was within acceptable ranges. However, even with the addition of dietary supplements, multiple micronutrients were under-consumed. Theoretically, a well-planned vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate; however support is needed to ensure adequate intake in practice.