Children Who Are Vegan Have Lower BMI

A new study shows that children who are vegan have a lower BMI. IMAGINE THAT!!!! I am sure that I should be excited about another study that supports the teachings of John McDougall MD, Neal Barnard MD and countless others, but knowing that we have been saying this at Slender For Life™ since 1990 makes me laugh. At least they got it right: A plant-based diet can provide all the nutrients essential for optimum health for children and adults. Will you help put an end to childhood obesity?

Vegetarian Diet May Help Children Stay Fit, Avoid Obesity

NaturalNews.com, October 8 2011: With the poor quality of many of today’s conventional meat products, a vegetarian diet just might be an appropriate fit for some modern children, one of three that are now overweight in the US.

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that people of all ages, including children, that adhere to a vegetarian diet generally have lower average body mass indexes (BMI) than others, and are generally leaner than their meat-eating counterparts.

The report explains that obesity is less prevalent among vegetarians, and that average BMI increases progressively higher depending on how much meat a person eats. Vegans, for instance, generally have the lowest BMI, while vegetarians that eat dairy and eggs have a slightly higher average BMI. Meat eaters, suggest study authors, have the highest average BMI of all.

Besides simply the visible weight benefits, adhering to a vegetarian diet may also improve lipid profile, say the authors, which means that a person is less likely to experience coronary heart disease. This means that vegetarians may have a lowered risk of developing high cholesterol, or having a heart attack or stroke.

Because a plant-based diet can contain far more nutrients, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and water, than a meat-based diet, it is more likely to promote lean body mass rather than added fat, says the team. The extra fiber found in plant-based diets also contributes to making a person feel “full” more quickly than a meat-based diet would, which results in less food being eaten.

“Obesity represents a significant threat to the present and future health of children and leads to a wide range of physical and psychological consequences,” write the study authors. “A plant-based diet appears to be a sensible approach for the prevention of obesity in children.”

Read Vegetarian Diet May Help Children Stay Fit, Avoid Obesity

Nutritionists and physicians have learned that plant products are good sources of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin D because they can be easily absorbed by the body and don’t contain artery-clogging fat. The American Dietetic Association states, “Well-planned vegan … diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.” [American Dietetic Association, “Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dieticians of Canada: Vegetarian Diets,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Jun. 2003.]

At Slender For Life™ children and adults learn how to make healthy, long-lasting lifestyle changes that support a life of health and wellness. Please let me know what you are doing to put an end to childhood obesity in your family.

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