Plant-Based Diets Can Be Healthy for Children, Shows Largest-Ever Study
Well-planned vegan and vegetarian diets can be healthy for children, according to a nutritional analysis of the eating patterns of nearly 50,000 kids.
In the largest review of its kind, researchers from Italy, Australia and the US have demonstrated the efficacy of meat-free diets for children, as long as they’re supplemented with key micronutrients.
The analysis, published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, is the most extensive evaluation of plant-based diets for kids, reviewing data from 59 studies across 18 countries.
It compared the diets of over 48,600 children and teenagers, including omnivores, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and vegans, and found that meat-free eating patterns can provide many important nutrients and support normal development. Plant-based diets may also offer added health benefits for children, including improved markers of cardiovascular health.
“Our analysis of current evidence suggests that well-planned and appropriately supplemented vegetarian and vegan diets can meet nutritional requirements and support healthy growth in children,” said lead author Monica Dinu, from the Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine at the University of Florence, Italy.
How do vegan diets affect children’s growth?
The analysis included more than 40,000 omnivores and 7,000 vegetarians, and nearly 1,300 vegans, enabling the researchers to assess differences in nutrient intake, growth, and overall health.
They found that vegan children consumed substantially less protein, fat, saturated fatty acids, and cholesterol than omnivores, while ingesting higher amounts of carbohydrates, fibre, iron, vitamins B6, B9 (folate), C and K, magnesium, and potassium.
Both vegans and vegetarians tended to have lower levels of total cholesterol, including LDL cholesterol, the “bad” or “unhealthy” form of the substance that can build up plaque in the arteries. This is primarily why these children had more favourable cardiovascular health profiles than omnivores.
Meat-free eaters consumed sufficient amounts of protein, and had significantly higher levels of iron intake. Still, they had displayed lower ferritin concentrations and higher odds of iron deficiency and anaemia, which the researchers ascribed to the lack of heme iron in plant-forward diets.
“Many children may reduce this risk by consuming iron-rich plant foods alongside vitamin C to enhance absorption,” the researchers wrote, adding that “regular monitoring and individualised dietary counselling” was recommended for vegans and vegetarians.
Meanwhile, the analysis indicated “significantly higher odds” of vitamin B12 deficiency in vegan children, which could cause anaemia and serious neurological impairments. But recent studies show that supplementation can help them reach or even surpass the intake levels of omnivores.
Calcium, vitamin D, iodine, and zinc were the other nutrients identified as requiring particular attention in vegetarian and vegan kids.
“Vitamin B12 didn’t reach adequate levels without supplementation or fortified foods, and calcium, iodine and zinc intakes were often at the lower end of recommended ranges, making them important nutrients to consider for children on plant-based diets,” explained co-author Jeannette Beasley, an associate professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Food Studies and Medicine at New York University.
Parents encouraged to follow plant-based diets with proper supplementation
The findings are in line with another major review from 2025, which analysed 27 studies to suggest that plant-based diets can support healthy growth in kids, so long as they’re carefully planned and supplemented to prevent nutrient deficiencies.
Children on vegan diets showed normal growth and development, with no significant differences in height, weight, or body mass index, according to that study. This latest research shows that vegan kids had a shorter stature and lower BMI scores compared with omnivores – but most values were within reference ranges, reflecting leaner growth rather than overt growth failure.
These findings come as health becomes increasingly important for the next generation. This is the primary dietary motivator for vegans and omnivores alike, with over a third of Gen Z and Gen Alpha kids saying so in a 2025 study. It also revealed that 14% think eating meat is cool, compared to just 2% who say the same for vegan diets.
In this latest meta-review, the largest of its kind, the researchers noted that families should not be discouraged from choosing vegan or vegetarian diets for ethical, environmental or health reasons, and that plant-based eating remains a viable, healthy option for children.
They did recommend that parents plan these diets carefully and seek guidance from dietitians and paediatric health professionals, since paying attention to a small number of essential nutrients can ensure that children’s nutritional needs are met during critical growth periods.
“We hope these findings offer clearer guidance on both the benefits and potential risks of plant-based diets, helping the growing number of parents choosing these diets for health, ethical or environmental reasons,” said Dinu.