Advice - Child Development

[jackiek]

My partner and I have recently discussed having children. He knows how strongly I feel about nutrition and I refuse to feed our future children meat. He claims that it is impossible for a child to develop properly (height, brain function, etc.) without consuming meat. He is stubborn and will not listen to anything I have to say on the matter. Is there any information I can give to him that will help? He is most likely to believe scientific study on child development or something along those lines.

[GievlosS]

Here is one article that might help to start. Sorry, I don't have a link, just a paper copy... if you can't find it online drop me a note and I will scan it in and send you a pdf.

Carol Parkman Williams, "Nutrition Management of the Vegetarian Child," Pediatric Manual of Clinical Dietetics, Developed by the Pediatric Nutrition Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association, 1998. This article reviews many studies of vegan and vegetarian children, and compares their growth rates and health status with kids on other diets. It is reassuring and very scientific. I grabbed this article when I found it in case anyone ever gives me a hard time about my son's diet... so far, no one has.

I ran across the article at the annual vegetarian conference in Pennsylvania. If you can swing it, it might be helpful to persuade your boyfriend to come with you to such an event. There are kids there, scampering about, looking SUPER healthy, and kids who have grown up in vegan households and who are now healthy adults. The atmosphere is very supportive and fun. Not as fun as going to Costa Rica with Dr. McD, but not as expensive, either.