Effects of Vegetarian Diets on Child Development Katie Edmiston Project Summary: This project is centered around the health effects of eating a vegetarian diet. For this study, vegetarian will refer to a lacto-ovo vegetarian, which excludes red meat, poultry, and fish, but allows for dairy and eggs (Fraser 2009). The study is focused on effects of vegetarian diets on child development. It will be completed through observing levels of nutrients closely related to development. Levels will be observed by comparing nutrient levels in children eating a vegetarian diet to those in children eating a non-vegetarian diet. Both groups will be compiled of children who have been eating balanced non-vegetarian diets prior to the study, ensuring that nutrient levels represent a normal, healthy diet. The previous diets will also eliminate any questions about whether the nutrient levels are reflective of unhealthy dietary habits. I hypothesize that children who eat a vegetarian diet will have fewer developmental nutrients than children continuing a non-vegetarian diet. My research will be beneficial to the community as it will inform parents of risks or benefits of vegetarianism at a young age, and could help establish a link between child development problems and vegetarian diets. Background Research: Vegetarian diets have a series of known health benefits regarding chronic diseases. Diseases such as chronic heart disease (CHD) and certain cancers have a lower risk in patients who eat vegetarian diets (Key et al. 2006; Fraser 2009). When looking at adult patients, vegetarianism seems to have sincere health benefits, and the observed vegetarians do not seem to lack any necessary nutrients in a capacity that would harm them (Key et al. 2006). Whereas vegetarianism has been shown to have benefits in adults, there has been speculation that it can
cause a lack of nutrients, although very little research has been done to back up these claims, even less on the overall effects of vegetarianism on children. It is commonly known that nutrients are essential for a child to fully develop into functioning adults. Some nutrients, however, are of more importance than others, each targeting a specific area in the body. Protein-energy is important to the DNA and RNA in one s brain, that is, the material that provides the genetic code for how the body functions. Lacking proteinenergy could cause less content in the DNA and RNA, and thus a lack in information necessary to perform basic functions. Zinc affects DNA and RNA in similar ways as protein-energy, while also controlling gene expression of hormone receptors, meaning Zinc is important if hormones are to be accepted and used in growth and development of the body. Another essential nutrient, Iron, is crucial for the hippocampus, which affects memory retention. Lacking Iron could cause a child s memory functions to not fully develop (Georgieff 2007). With this knowledge, I will be able to illustrate the effects on development by looking at the levels of certain nutrients. Project Description: Rational and Approach The experiment will be carried out by observing two groups of forty children, ages 5 to 7, with equal numbers of males and females in each age group. As it will be difficult to observe child development in this period of time, I will instead look at nutrients associated with development, and any differences in the levels of those nutrients. Children ages 5 to 7 are still in a stage of life undergoing much development, and as such will be able to show differences between normal and abnormal development. Observing significant changes in nutrient levels will
take longer than the duration of the summer; however, the portion of the experiment that surpasses the time allotted by this grant will be funded by other means. Research Design By asking parents of participants, I will make sure that each child has been consuming a balanced non-vegetarian diet until this point by surveying the parents. Before the experiment begins, I will test the nutrient levels in each child to establish a baseline. This will be done by drawing blood and having it lab tested for developmental nutrients. The children will then be divided into two groups of forty, with an equal number of males and females in each. One group will continue to eat a non-vegetarian diet (the control group), and the other will begin a vegetarian diet (the test group). The vegetarian diet will consist of balanced meals, including protein in the form of meat substitute or beans, not simply fruits and vegetables. This will represent the majority of vegetarian diets. However, the children in the test group will not be permitted extra supplements, other than the vitamins that have been pediatrician recommended, also to be taken by the control group with the same dosage. Controlling vitamin intake in this way ensures that the nutrient levels will be an accurate representation of the diets themselves, instead of the supplements. At the beginning of the second month of testing, after exposing both groups to their diets, a second test will be done in the same manner as the first to highlight the nutrient levels in each child. The average of each nutrient within the two groups will be compared between the groups, and each child s level will be compared to the baseline previously determined. Observing the data in both of these ways will allow me to look at the effect on development linked nutrients on a population of children, and will also account for discrepancies between children. Each month,
the same test will occur, and the data inserted into a table comparing each individual as well as the group. This experiment will continue for a duration of six months with monthly blood tests to determine nutrient levels at the beginning of each month, and again at the conclusion of the experiment. Each month, the data will be compared to previous months in the manner explained above. At the conclusion of the experiment, comparisons will be made between beginning and ending nutrient levels, illustrating the net gain or loss of nutrients. The pattern between each month will also be taken into consideration, although not to the extent of the net gain or loss. Analysis and Alternatives Throughout the duration of this experiment, I predict that the results will show that an unsupplemented vegetarian diet causes a lack of crucial developmental nutrients, leading to the conclusion that vegetarian diets are unhealthy for developing children. It also has the potential to show no noticeable change in nutrients, in which case I would conclude that one diet versus the other makes no significant difference. A third possible outcome is that the vegetarian diet would have an increase in developmental nutrients. From this, one could draw two possible conclusions. These nutrients are very important for development in the early stages of life; however, they can also be harmful in high doses. Because of this, if there is an upward trend in nutrients during the course of the experiment, nutrient levels will need to be monitored very closely (perhaps more closely than simply once a month) in order to insure safety of the participants. The other possible conclusion from this evidence, if the nutrients maintain a healthy level that is simply higher than the control group, is that a vegetarian diet is better for the developing child.
Generally, when studying child health, an experiment has the potential to encounter difficulties. Children around this age can have serious health issues that have not yet been diagnosed or shown symptoms. If this is the case with any of my participants, I will most likely observe skewed results, which would make my research less credible. Studying children also has the potential to have a lack of participants, as parents are usually very protective of their children s health. To combat this, I intend to use some of the grant I hope to be awarded to fund incentives so that parents will be encouraged to allow their child s participation. Biographical Sketch: I am an undergraduate student at UNC majoring in Nutrition with a focus on child nutrition. I have many friends who have recently become vegetarians in the past few years. Through conversations with their parents I have heard many concerns about the effect vegetarian diets would have on the health of their children. These conversations have brought the vegetarian versus non-vegetarian debate to my attention, as well as a newfound concern for the health of my friends, especially those who became vegetarians at an early age, and I researched both sides of the issue. My personal connection will ensure that I am engaged in my research, and that I will present the most accurate information in my findings. Budget: Category Item Approximate Cost Procedure Blood test 3 tests for 50 children @ $10/test = $1,500.00 Diet Vegetarian Cookbook 50 books @ $20.00/book = Explanation Blood tests will be necessary to determine the nutrient levels of each child at each check point within the 3 month time span. Because I will be testing such a large group, I have discussed a discount for services with a local lab, thus the cheaper price. As I will not be able to be with the subjects for every meal over the span of this 3 month period, it
Participant Incentives Project Assistance Gift Cards Doctor $1,000.00 is important for the families to have some knowledge of how to create a healthy vegetarian diet. As many of the parents may work full-time, a cooking class will not suffice, so a healthy cookbook will be provided. 50 gift cards @ 10.00/card = $500.00 3 months @ $0.00/month = $0.00 Total Cost: $3,000.00 Incentives will be necessary for parents to allow their young children to be involved in this study. Visa gift cards will be allotted to each participant s family. These will allow flexibility in however they are used, as they can be used anywhere. A doctor will be needed to draw blood for each nutrient test, and occasionally to monitor nutrient levels to ensure safety of the participants. As for the cost, I have discussed with some personal friends of mine who are medical doctors and, as it will not be full time, they have agreed to do the work pro-bono, should I be awarded the grant. References: Georgieff MK. 2007. Nutrition and the developing brain: nutrient prioriities and measurement. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (**Edition**) [Internet]. [2007 Feb, cited 2014 Jan 22] 85 (2); 6145-6205. Available from: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/2/614s.full Fraser GE. 2009. Vegetarian diets: What do we know of their effects on common chronic diseases?. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (**Edition**) [Internet]. [2009 May, cited 2014 Jan 22] 89(5): 16075-16125. Available from: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/89/5/1607s.full Key TJ, Appleby PN, Rosell MS. 2006. Health effects of vegetarian and vegan diets. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society (**Edition**) [Internet]. [2007 March 07, cited 2014 Jan 22] 65(01): 35-41. Available from: http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2fpns%2fpns65_01%2fs0029665106000 00Xa.pdf&code=0f33ea52ed7591150e528452fc6608c7