Balancieren zwischen zuviel und zuwenig: Nährstoffmangel und Aufholwachstum bei vegetarisch ernährten Kindern

Author(s): van, S. , WA, van, D. , M

Abstract: From 1985 onwards an extensive research project was carried out in children who lived on a vegetarian diet in the Netherlands. The present article deals the findings in children, who lived on a macrobiotic diet and afterwards on a lactovegetarian diet. The macrobiotic diet mainly consisted of cereals, beans and vegetables. Milk products, meat and fish were used hardly or not at all. In children aged 0 to 8 years (1 985), fed a macrobiotic diet, a strong growth retardation with respect to weight, height and arm circumference was present between 6 and 18 months. More detailed studies in this age group showed an inadequate provision with energy, protein, fat, calcium as well as vitamin D, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12, a retardation of growth and psychomotoric development, abnormal hematological parameters, and ricket. Because of these results a supplementation of the macrobiotic diet with 20-25 g fat per day, 100-1 50 g fat fish per week, and 150-250 ml milk products per day was recommended. Repeated examinations of the children which were carried out 6-8 years later (1993-1995), when the diet of the participating families had been changed to a mainly lactovegetarian diet, showed a clear improvement with respect to the weight and height of children. At the same time, a clear, functional deficiency of vitamin B12 was present in these children on lactovegetarian diets. In 40 analysed plant foods (such as tempeh, seaweeds, spirulina etc.) no significant vitamin B12-activity was detected, in fact, these products deteriorated vitamin B12 deficiency symptoms.

Keyword(s): Makrobiotische Ernährung

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