Placing a Well-Designed Vegan Diet for Slovenes

Interest in vegan diets has increased globally as well as in Slovenia. The quantity of new scientific data requires a thorough synthesis of new findings and considerations about the current reserved position of the vegan diet in Slovenia. There is frequently confusion about the benefits of vegetarian diets that are often uncritically passed on to vegan diets and vice versa. This narrative review aims to serve as a framework for a well-designed vegan diet. We present advice on how to maximize the benefits and minimize the risks associated with the vegan diet and lifestyle. We highlight the proper terminology, present the health effects of a vegan diet and emphasize the nutrients of concern. In addition, we provide guidance for implementing a well-designed vegan diet in daily life. We conducted a PubMed search, up to November 2021, for studies on key nutrients (proteins, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)), calcium, iron, zinc, iodine and selenium) in vegan diets. Given the limited amount of scientific evidence, we focus primarily on the general adult population. A well-designed vegan diet that includes a wide variety of plant foods and supplementation of vitamin B12, vitamin D in the winter months and potentially EPA/DHA is safe and nutritionally adequate. It has the potential to maintain and/or to improve health. For physically active adult populations, athletes or individuals with fast-paced lifestyles, there is room for further appropriate supplementation of a conventional vegan diet according to individuals’ health status, needs and goals without compromising their health. A healthy vegan lifestyle, as included in government guidelines for a healthy lifestyle, includes regular physical activity, avoidance of smoking, restriction of alcohol and appropriate sleep hygiene.

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The Safety of TheVegan Diet During Pregnancy

Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.7495 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Miłosz Miedziaszczyk ◽

Patrycja Ciabach ◽

Edmund Grześkowiak ◽

Edyta Szałek

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Vitamin B12 ◽

Vitamin B12 Deficiency ◽

Normal Function ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Animal Food ◽

Clinical Consequences

There is an increasing number of people who go vegetarian. Some young parents also switch to this diet. The safety of vegetarian diets, especially ve-gan diets, is very important, especially during pregnancy. Unfortunately, reference publications do not provide coherent data on the safety of vegetar-ian diets during pregnancy. On the one hand, the vegan diet has advantages because it reduces the risk of heart disease and gestational diabetes. On the other hand, vegetarians/vegans should be aware of potential deficiencies of some nutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, cal-cium, iodine) and the clinical consequences for the foetus. For example, iron deficiency may affect cognitive abilities, behaviour, intelligence and increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight of infants. Plant food contains non-haem iron with variable absorption. Therefore, the vegan diet should include nutrients increasing the bioavailability of iron, e.g. ascorbic acid, carotene and retinol. Due to the fact that animal food is the main source of vitamin B12, vegans are at very high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which will affect the infant’s weight at birth. Low level of vitamin D, which is prevalent in animal food, is the most common deficiency among vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. This vitamin prevents gestational diabetes, reduces insulin resistance and guarantees normal function of the musculoskeletal system. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may lead to preterm birth, neural tube defects or even miscarriage. In view of the clinical consequences of po-tential deficiencies of nutrients, the vegetarian/vegan diet should be well balanced.

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The Safety of a Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

Postępy Higieny i Medycyny Doświadczalnej ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.9343 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 75 ◽

pp. 417-425

Author(s):

Miłosz Miedziaszczyk ◽

Patrycja Ciabach ◽

Edmund Grześkowiak ◽

Edyta Szałek

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Preterm Birth ◽

Gestational Diabetes ◽

Vitamin B12 ◽

Normal Function ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Animal Food ◽

Clinical Consequences ◽

Vegetarian Diets

There is an increasing number of people who go vegetarian. Some young parents also switch to this diet. The safety of vegetarian diets, especially vegan diets, is very important, especially during pregnancy. Unfortunately, reference publications do not provide coherent data on the safety of vegetarian diets during pregnancy. On the one hand, the vegan diet has advantages because it reduces the risk of heart disease and gestational diabetes. On the other hand, vegetarians/vegans should be aware of potential deficiencies of some nutrients (iron, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iodine) and the clinical consequences for the fetus. For example, iron deficiency may affect cognitive abilities, behavior, intelligence and increase the risk of preterm birth and low birth weight of infants. Plant food contains non-haem iron with variable absorption. Therefore, the vegan diet should include nutrients increasing the bioavailability of iron, e.g. ascorbic acid, carotene and retinol. Due to the fact that animal food is the main source of vitamin B12, vegans are at a very high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which will affect the infant’s weight at birth. Low level of vitamin D, which is prevalent in animal food, is the most common deficiency among vegans and lacto-ovo vegetarians. This vitamin prevents gestational diabetes, reduces insulin resistance and guarantees normal function of the musculoskeletal system. Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may lead to preterm birth, neural tube defects or even miscarriage. In view of the clinical consequences of potential deficiencies of nutrients, the vegetarian/vegan diet should be well balanced.

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Does vitamin D status predict weight gain or increase in waist circumference? Results from the longitudinal Health 2000/2011 Survey

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980019004403 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (7) ◽

pp. 1266-1272 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tuija Jääskeläinen ◽

Satu Männistö ◽

Tommi Härkänen ◽

Katri Sääksjärvi ◽

Seppo Koskinen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Weight Gain ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Adult Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Vitamin D Insufficiency ◽

Vitamin D Status

AbstractObjective:To investigate whether vitamin D status predicts weight gain or increase in waist circumference during the 11-year follow-up in general adult population.Design:A population-based longitudinal study.Setting:The study was conducted using data from the nationally representative Health 2000/2011 Survey. The analyses were based on regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.Participants:Weight, waist circumference and vitamin D status (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration analysed with radioimmunoassay) were measured from 2924 participants aged 30–64 years at baseline.Results:In men, low vitamin D status at baseline predicted ≥10 % increase in waist circumference during the follow-up when adjusted for age only (OR for sufficient v. deficient S-25(OH)D 0·41; 95 % CI 0·25, 0·67; P for trend <0·01), but the association with weight gain was only borderline significant. After adjustment for potential confounders, low vitamin D status remained a significant predictor of increase in waist circumference, but the association with weight gain was further attenuated. In women, vitamin D status at baseline did not predict weight gain or increase in waist circumference.Conclusions:Our results suggest that vitamin D insufficiency may be a risk factor of abdominal obesity among men but not among women. In men, it may also increase the risk of weight gain. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and examine potential mechanisms behind them. There is also a possibility that vitamin D is a biomarker of healthy lifestyle rather than an independent risk factor for obesity.

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Vor- und Nachteile vegetarischer Ernährungsformen – aktueller wissenschaftlicher Kenntnisstand

Therapeutische Umschau ◽

10.1024/0040-5930/a000848 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 73 (11) ◽

pp. 659-672

Author(s):

Alexander Ströhle ◽

Andreas Hahn

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin B12 ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Typ 2 Diabetes ◽

Vegetarische Ernährung

Zusammenfassung. Der Vegetarismus ist keine einheitliche Ernährungsform, sondern wird in unterschiedlichen Ausprägungen praktiziert. Am bekanntesten sind lakto-ovo-vegetarische und vegane Kostformen. Die in westlichen Industrieländern lebenden Vegetarier unterscheiden sich nicht nur in ihrer Ernährungsweise von der Durchschnittsbevölkerung. Auch ihr sonstiger Lebensstil differiert. Eine vegetarische Lebensweise geht mit einem um 40 – 50 % reduzierten Risiko für Typ-2-Diabetes und einem um 20 – 30 % verminderten Risiko für ischämische Ereignisse einher. Krebserkrankungen treten bei Vegetariern 8 – 15 % seltener auf, während bei der Krebsmortalität kein Unterscheid zu Nicht-Vegetariern besteht. Keine Vorteile übt die vegetarische Ernährung auf die Knochengesundheit aus. Auch bei der Gesamtsterblichkeit lässt sich kein eindeutig vorteilhafter Effekt nachweisen. Eine auf einer breiten Lebensmittelauswahl beruhende lakto-ovo-vegetarische Kost mit reichlich Gemüse, Obst, Hülsenfrüchten, Vollkornprodukte, Samen und Nüssen, ergänzt um mäßige Anteile an Milchprodukten und Eiern, stellt bei Erwachsenen im Allgemeinen die Versorgung mit allen Nährstoffen sicher (Ausnahmen: Vitamin D und Iod sowie potenzielle Defizite bei Eisen, ggf. Zink und langkettigen Omega-3-Fettsäuren). Vegane Kostformen bergen mehr Risiken hinsichtlich einer defizitären Nährstoffversorgung als eine lakto-ovo-vegetarische Kost. Bei entsprechenden Ernährungskenntnissen, breiter Lebensmittelauswahl sowie gezielter Supplementierung bzw. dem Konsum von angereicherten Lebensmitteln mit Vitamin B12 und D, Iod und ggf. an Docosahexaensäure (DHA) und Eicosapentaensäure (EPA) reichen Mikroalgenzubereitungen ist eine adäquate Nährstoffversorgung auch bei einer vielseitigen veganen Ernährung für Erwachsene möglich.

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Role of Omega 3 Fatty acids, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6 and Folate in Mental wellbeing- A Short review of Literature

Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology ◽

10.37506/ijfmt.v15i2.14323 ◽

2021 ◽

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin B12 ◽

Vitamin B6 ◽

Short Review ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽

Review Of Literature ◽

Omega 3

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Diet and Multiple Sclerosis: Scoping Review of Web-Based Recommendations (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.10050 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Jeffrey M Beckett ◽

Marie-Louise Bird ◽

Jane K Pittaway ◽

Kiran DK Ahuja

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Saturated Fat ◽

Initial Assessment ◽

Dietary Advice ◽

Search Term ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Web Based

BACKGROUND There is currently no scientific evidence supporting the use of specific diets in the management of multiple sclerosis (MS); the strongest dietary associations are observed with vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. Despite this, there are many websites that provide advice or suggestions about using various dietary approaches to control symptoms or disease progression. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the dietary advice for the symptomatic management of MS available on the internet. METHODS This study was a systematic review of webpages that provided dietary advice for the management of MS. Webpages were selected from an internet search conducted in November 2016 using Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines and the search term “MS diet.” The first two pages of results from each search engine were included for the initial assessment. Duplicates were removed. Data extracted from websites included specific advice relating to diet and its rationale and the citation of supporting scientific literature. Authorship and credential information were reviewed to assess webpage quality. RESULTS We included 32 webpages in the final assessment. The webpages made a wide variety of specific recommendations regarding dietary patterns and individual foods to help manage MS. The most common dietary pattern advised on these webpages was the low-fat, high-fiber balanced diet, followed by the low-saturated fat diet, near-vegetarian Swank diet, and the Paleo diet. The main categories of individual foods or nutrients suggested for addition to the diet were: supplements (especially omega-3 and vitamin D), fruits, vegetables, and lean protein. In contrast, the most commonly recommended for removal were saturated fats, dairy, gluten-containing grains, and refined sugar. These recommendations were often accompanied by rationale relating to how the particular food or nutrient may affect the development, prevalence and symptoms of MS; however, very little of this information is supported by the current scientific evidence between diet and MS. Only 9 webpages provided full authorship including credential information. CONCLUSIONS There is a wide variety of Web-based dietary advice, which in some cases is contradictory. In most cases, this advice is the result of peoples’ individual experiences and has not been scientifically tested. How people living with MS use this information is not known. These findings highlight the important role health professionals can play in assisting people living with MS in their health information-seeking behaviors.

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Supplementieren – aber richtig

Deutsche Heilpraktiker-Zeitschrift ◽

10.1055/a-1392-4018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (03) ◽

pp. 50-55

Author(s):

Simon Feldhaus

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin B12 ◽

Omega 3

SummaryOft ist auch bei ausgewogener Ernährung keine ausreichende Zufuhr aller wichtigen Mikronährstoffe möglich, wobei einige Bevölkerungsgruppen besonders gefährdet für Mängel sind. Sinnvoll ist, die Blutkonzentration von Mikronährstoffen vor Beginn einer Supplementierung zu ermitteln und diese regelmäßig im Behandlungsverlauf zu kontrollieren. Besonders häufig müssen Vitamin D, Omega-3-Fettsäuren, Folsäure, Magnesium, Eisen, Zink und Vitamin B12 in unseren Breitengraden supplementiert werden, um verschiedene Folgen von Mangelzuständen zu vermeiden.

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Vegetarian diets in childhood and adolescence

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s40348-019-0091-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Silvia Rudloff ◽

Christoph Bührer ◽

Frank Jochum ◽

Thomas Kauth ◽

Mathilde Kersting ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin B12 ◽

Saturated Fatty Acids ◽

Age Groups ◽

Vegetarian Diet ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Nutrient Deficiencies ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Animal Products ◽

Vegetarian Diets

Abstract In Western countries, vegetarian diets are associated with lower intakes of energy, saturated fatty acids and animal protein and higher intakes of fibre and phytochemicals, compared to omnivorous diets. Whether the corresponding health benefits in vegetarians outweigh the risks of nutrient deficiencies has not been fully clarified. It should be noted that vegetarians often have a higher socioeconomic status, follow a more health-conscious lifestyle with higher physical activity, and refrain from smoking more often than non-vegetarians. The nutritional needs of growing children and adolescents can generally be met through a balanced, vegetable-based diet; however, due to their higher nutrient requirements per kilogramme of body weight, vegetarian children have a higher risk for developing nutrient deficiencies than adults. With a vegetarian diet, the mean intakes of some nutrients, such as the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are lower than in omnivores or those eating fish. For other nutrients, such as iron and zinc, the bioavailability from vegetable foodstuffs is reduced when the intake of phytates and fibre is high; thus, the prevalence of iron deficiency can be increased despite high vitamin C intake. In addition, vitamin B12 is only found in animal-source foods. Vitamin B12 should be supplemented in people of all age groups who follow a strict vegan diet without consuming animal products. A vegetarian diet in childhood and adolescence requires good information and supervision by a paediatrician, if necessary, in cooperation with an appropriately trained dietary specialist.

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Religious dietary rules and their potential nutritional and health consequences

International Journal of Epidemiology ◽

10.1093/ije/dyaa182 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jean-Pierre Chouraqui ◽

Dominique Turck ◽

André Briend ◽

Dominique Darmaun ◽

Alain Bocquet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin B12 ◽

Sodium Intake ◽

Economic Status ◽

Vegan Diet ◽

World Population ◽

Women Of Childbearing Age ◽

Childbearing Age ◽

Dietary Practices ◽

Individualized Approach ◽

Calcium Iron

Abstract Background The vast majority of the world population declares affiliation to a religion, predominantly Christianity and Islam. Many religions have special dietary rules, which may be more or less strictly adhered to. Methods Religious food rules were collected from holy books and religious websites as well as their translation into dietary practices. The literature was searched for potential associations between these rules and potential nutritional consequences. Results Jewish, Islamic and Indian religions support prolonged breastfeeding. Religious avoidance of alcohol is probably beneficial to health. When strictly applied, a few rules may lead to nutritional inadequacies, mainly in populations living in unfavourable socio-economic or environmental conditions. In Jewish and Muslim observants, animal slaughtering procedures may increase the risk of iron deficiency. Jews may be at risk of excess sodium intake related to home-prepared foods. A vegan diet, as observed by some believers, often by drifting from original precepts, or by some Hindus or Buddhists, may result in vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium and n-3 fatty acids deficiencies. Conclusion When implemented in accordance with the rules, most religious food precepts are not detrimental to health, as suggested by the fact that they have more or less been followed for millennia. Nevertheless, some practices may lead to nutritional inadequacies, such as iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 deficiencies. Patients with low socio-economic status, children and women of childbearing age are of particular risk of such deficiencies. Being aware of them should help health professionals to take an individualized approach to decide whether to supplement or not.

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