NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2002
CONTACT:
Simon Chaitowitz, Communications Director
tel: 202-686-2210, ext. 309; simonc@pcrm.org
Doctors Ask Reporters to Stop Misusing the "V" Word in Story about Undernourished Baby
Parents Aren't Really Vegan; Well-Planned Vegan Diet Is Safe, Healthy, and Superior to Other Eating Styles, Say Physicians
Washington, D.C.—In the wake of reports of a misguided New
York couple who refused to breastfeed or provide baby formula for their infant daughter,
many reporters have mistakenly suggested that the couple was following a "vegan"
diet. Headlines have implied such a diet is not healthy. Because a vegan diet is safe,
increasingly popular, and nutritionally superior to other diets, the Physicians Committee
for Responsible Medicine wants to prevent further misunderstandings.
"Vegan diets provide excellent
nutrition for all stages of childhood, from birth through adolescence,"
says PCRM president Neal Barnard,
M.D. "In fact, vegetarian children grow up to be slimmer,
healthier, and live longer than their meat-eating friends. Raising
your children on a well-balanced plant-based diet is one of the
best gifts you can ever give them."
"Unfortunately, the Swintons reportedly did not provide the first step in good
nutrition," continues Dr. Barnard. "All infants should be breastfed. If this is
not possible, then a baby formula must be used, ideally a soy-based one to avoid the
allergies and other problems that can come from dairy-based formulas." The New York
couple was not using a vegan diet, as they reportedly gave their child cod-liver oil which
is derived from fish.
All major health authorities, including the American Dietetic Association, recognize
that vegan and vegetarian diets supply solid nutrition when appropriately planned.
Moreover, many studies show that a vegan diet offers nutritional advantages to growing
bodies and minds. Leading baby expert Dr. Benjamin Spock embraced the use of vegan diets
in the 7th edition of Baby and Child Care, the leading guide for parents.
Vegan babies, like all infants, are raised with mother's milk or formula, eventually
followed by fortified infant cereal and mashed fruits and vegetables. At approximately six
to eight months, parents can begin introducing vegetables, fruits, breads, and
protein-rich foods such as tofu or beans that have been cooked well and mashed.
When children are old enough to rely on solid food exclusively, a vegan diet consists
of a wide variety of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Such a diet offers
plenty of protein and calcium and other nutrients. To ensure adequate vitamin B-12, any
common children's multivitamin does the trick.
For more information
on vegan diets for children, including a wealth of delicious and easy recipes, visit www.pcrm.org. For
interviews with PCRM doctors or dietitians, call 202-686-2210, ext. 309.
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) is a
nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, particularly good nutrition, and
conducts clinical research trials. PCRM also promotes higher standards in research.
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