Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33740036›Full record

ArticleThe American journal of clinical nutrition2021

Growth, body composition, and cardiovascular and nutritional risk of 5- to 10-y-old children consuming vegetarian, vegan, or omnivore diets.

Małgorzata A Desmond, Jakub G Sobiecki, Maciej Jaworski, Paweł Płudowski, Jolanta Antoniewicz, Meghan K Shirley, Simon Eaton, Janusz Książyk, Mario Cortina-Borja, Bianca De Stavola and 2 more

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 63 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
63citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
14.6field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

63 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 117 citations in OpenAlex.

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3 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Małgorzata A DesmondChildhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
Jakub G SobieckiDepartment of Pediatrics, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Maciej JaworskiDepartment of Biochemistry, Radioimmunology, and Experimental Medicine, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Paweł PłudowskiDepartment of Biochemistry, Radioimmunology, and Experimental Medicine, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Jolanta AntoniewiczDepartment of Nephrology, Kidney Transplantation, & Hypertension, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Meghan K ShirleyDepartment of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Simon EatonDevelopmental Biology and Cancer Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0892-9204
Janusz KsiążykDepartment of Pediatrics, Nutrition, and Metabolic Diseases, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
Mario Cortina-BorjaPopulation, Policy, and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
Bianca De StavolaPopulation, Policy, and Practice Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
Mary FewtrellChildhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9783-3444
Jonathan C K WellsChildhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0411-8025
Children's Memorial Health Institute · PLUniversity College London · GBUniversidade de São Paulo · BRUniversity of Cambridge · GB

Funding

NRSA Training CoreTL1TR001880 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · PI MEAGHER, EMMA ANNE · 2016 to 2025
$10.0M
NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR001880
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPlant-based diets (PBDs) are increasingly recommended for human and planetary health. However, comprehensive evidence on the health effects of PBDs in children remains incomplete, particularly in vegans.

objectivesTo quantify differences in body composition, cardiovascular risk, and micronutrient status of vegetarian and vegan children relative to omnivores and to estimate prevalence of abnormal micronutrient and cholesterol status in each group.

methodsIn a cross-sectional study, Polish children aged 5-10 y (63 vegetarian, 52 vegan, 72 matched omnivores) were assessed using anthropometry, deuterium dilution, DXA, and carotid ultrasound. Fasting blood samples, dietary intake, and accelerometry data were collected.

resultsAll results are reported relative to omnivores. Vegetarians had lower gluteofemoral adiposity but similar total fat and lean mass. Vegans had lower fat indices in all regions but similar lean mass. Both groups had lower bone mineral content (BMC). The difference for vegetarians attenuated after accounting for body size but remained in vegans (total body minus the head: -3.7%; 95% CI: -7.0, -0.4; lumbar spine: -5.6%; 95% CI: -10.6, -0.5). Vegetarians had lower total cholesterol, HDL, and serum B-12 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] without supplementation but higher glucose, VLDL, and triglycerides. Vegans were shorter and had lower total LDL (-24 mg/dL; 95% CI: -35.2, -12.9) and HDL (-12.2 mg/dL; 95% CI: -17.3, -7.1), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, iron status, and serum B-12 (-217.6 pmol/L; 95% CI: -305.7, -129.5) and 25(OH)D without supplementation but higher homocysteine and mean corpuscular volume. Vitamin B-12 deficiency, iron-deficiency anemia, low ferritin, and low HDL were more prevalent in vegans, who also had the lowest prevalence of high LDL. Supplementation resolved low B-12 and 25(OH)D concentrations.

conclusionsVegan diets were associated with a healthier cardiovascular risk profile but also with increased risk of nutritional deficiencies and lower BMC and height. Vegetarians showed less pronounced nutritional deficiencies but, unexpectedly, a less favorable cardiometabolic risk profile. Further research may help maximize the benefits of PBDs in children.

Indexed as

Body CompositionCardiovascular DiseasesDiet, VeganDiet, VegetarianMeatNutritional StatusAnimalsChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMalePolandbone mineral contentcardiovascular riskiron deficiencystaturevegan childrenvegetarian childrenvitamin B-12 deficiencyvitamin D deficiency

Identifiers

PMID33740036
PMCPMC8176147
OpenAlexW3119298435

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.