Healthy Hearts for Children

A Vegan Diet for Kids Can Prevent Heart Problems in Adulthood

Many children who are raised on the “traditional” American diet of cholesterol and saturated fat-laden chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and pepperoni pizza are already showing symptoms of heart disease, the number one killer of adults.

A surprising number of children as young as 3 or 4 years old have the early signs of artery changes that can lead to heart attacks later in life. Many American kids have signs of heart disease by their early teens. A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that at least 60 percent of children and young adults have early atherosclerotic (hardened artery) damage. It’s no wonder, considering that hot dogs, sausages, and bacon are on the daily menu for a stunning 25 percent of kids between the ages of 19 months and two years.

The number of obese adolescents has tripled since 1990. Pediatricians are reporting an alarming increase in the number of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (typically an adult disease), and 85 percent of those cases involve overweight kids. Kids are becoming sick and developing lifelong, debilitating diseases because of the traditional, animal-based American diet.

Nutritionists and physicians have learned that plant foods are good sources of protein, iron, calcium, and vitamin D because they can be easily absorbed by the body and don’t contain artery-clogging fat and cholesterol. A plant-based diet offers kids the best protection against high blood pressure, reducing their risk of developing this disease by nearly 70 percent. The American Dietetic Association states, “Well-planned vegan … diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence.”

Caring parents should start kids off right by teaching them to make healthy eating choices that will protect them from a host of painful ailments. The best way to prevent and control obesity, diabetes, and ensure healthy hearts is to feed kids a low-fat, cholesterol-free vegan diet and to make sure that they get regular physical activity. After all, our kids deserve to be able to run and play with their own kids someday.

Read more about the benefits of a vegetarian diet for kids.

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