Going vegetarian
By Dr. Loren Yamamoto
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Got a question about the health of your family? Let our panel of Hawaii experts tackle it. Send your questions to hawaiimoms@honoluluadvertiser.com, with "Ask the Experts" in the subject line.
Q. My 15-year-old daughter suddenly has declared that she wants to become a vegetarian. Is this a good idea, especially during such an important period in her growth?
A. There are pros and cons to this because the decision can affect her adult height. The limiting factors for height growth are largely genetics and protein intake. Since we can't do much about genetics, getting a child to grow as tall as possible requires maximizing protein intake during her growth years.
The growth spurt tends to occur earlier in girls than it does in boys. It’s very possible that your 15-year-old daughter has achieved most of her growth potential by now, if her growth spurt occurred early. (Ask your doctor; this can be assessed by the age of her first menstrual period and by her growth.) Maximizing height potential seems to be a higher priority for boys than for girls, but each family should make its own decision.
The vegetarian diet has many advantages, which include higher fiber, lower calories, lower fat, and low (potentially zero) cholesterol. However, the protein content in plants is low compared with that of beef, pork, chicken, fish and eggs. Some vegetarians are OK with consuming dairy products and/or eggs. But while these products increase protein content, they lack the advantages of a pure vegetarian diet.
So, if maximizing height is not a priority, a vegetarian diet has a better overall health profile for the rest of one's adult life. If maximizing height is a priority, including eggs, dairy products and/or vegetarian protein supplements, and high protein vegetarian foods (mostly soy) during her remaining growth years could help. Once her growth spurt has ended, then the high protein aspects are not as necessary.
Meanwhile, it’s important to remember that menstruating females need more dietary iron to maintain their hemoglobin levels, especially if they are athletes. Meat products are high in iron, while a pure vegetarian diet is lower in iron. An iron supplement might be necessary. A calcium supplement might also be beneficial.
Dr. Loren Yamamoto is vice chief of staff and pediatric emergency medicine director at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, and professor of pediatrics at the University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine. The Ask the Experts column is for general information and is not intended to provide medical advice.
