eating plan differences between adults and children?

[blueberries]

Does Dr. McDougall recommend the same diet for children as adults?

Obviously healthy children would not follow the MWL plan, but other than that, does he have anything to say on the fat content of diet for children?

My children have been vegan and starch-based for years but eat more nuts, seeds, and avocado than I do. It seems to me this is healthy as they are healthy weights and growing well, but I wonder what the consensus is here regarding children and healthy fats in the diet. Does "McDougalling" mean you also give your kids a very low fat diet?

[jamietwo]

You can feed your kids MWL as long as they don't lose weight that they don't need to lose! Its just a super-healthy, whole-foods, way to eat! I believe Dr. M recommends the same diet for kids that he does for adults, but I admit to feeding my child more of the higher-fat plant foods because he teeters on the lower end of the "healthy" BMI scale.

[Lasko77]

Kids certainly need more fat than MWL. Their brains are rapidly developing and need more fat. I give my little one lots of nuts and seeds and avocado whenever I can. He is only 5th percentile for weight and he would fall off the charts if I did not give him high fat plant foods. I would think that since the adult brain is not developing and growing we don't need that much fat. But children i think do and I err on the side of caution and rather give it to him than not.

[jamietwo]

I'm not sure that children need more fat than adults after they've weaned from the breast. We breastfed beyond the toddler years, so I always felt confident about nutrition and brain development, etc.

[Lasko77]

I'm not sure that children need more fat than adults after they've weaned from the breast. We breastfed beyond the toddler years, so I always felt confident about nutrition and brain development, etc.

Thanks for this insight Jamietwo. I am still nursing my son and perhaps I simply don't need to worry as much about fats.

[Adrienne]

Jeff has said that the mcd diet is suitable for children over 2. Kids need more calories per kilogram of body weight but not necessarily extra fat.