In December 2019 the Committee on Nutrition and Breastfeeding of the Spanish Paediatric Association published their position paper on vegetarian diets in infants and children. There is little information on the medium and long-term health outcomes when all animal foods are removed from a child’s diet, especially when they are young. The group of foods commonly used in vegetarian diets was therefore reviewed. After assessing current evidence the Committee recommended that, even though following a vegetarian diet at any age is not necessarily unsafe, infants and young children should follow an omnivorous diet or, at least, an ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet. If a vegetarian or a vegan diet is considered it would have to be carefully designed. Vitamin B12 supplements would be required at all ages, plus iodine, iron, vitamin D3 and omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acid when required.
Redecilla Ferreiro S et al. Position paper on vegetarian diets in infants and children. Committee on Nutrition and Breastfeeding of the Spanish Paediatric Association. An Pediatr (Barc). 2019 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print]