What do the health organizations say about vegan and vegetarian diets?

In support of vegan diets

Veganism and vegetarianism are diets that exclude various animal products. Vegetarianism excludes meat, but allows honey, eggs and dairy products, while veganism excludes all animal products. The consensus is that vegan diets are adequate in all stages of life, including pregnancy, adulthood, infancy and childhood. They are also adequate for athletes and others who may require additional nutritional intakes.

1. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
   The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) is the largest nutrition organization in the world. They wrote in their position statement “It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”.
2. National Health Service
   The National Health Service (NHS) is the UK’s government funded health provider. They mention in a position statement that “With good planning and an understanding of what makes up a healthy, balanced vegan diet, you can get all the nutrients your body needs.”.
3. British Dietetic Association
   The British Dietetic Association is Britain’s largest organization of nutritionists. They say that “One of the UK’s longest-standing organisations that represents dietetics and nutrition, the British Dietetic Association, has affirmed that a well-planned vegan diet can “support healthy living in people of all ages” in an official document signed by its CEO.”.
4. Mayo Clinic
   The Mayo Clinic is an esteemed health organization providing health education and information. They say that “A well-planned vegetarian diet is a healthy way to meet your nutritional needs. Find out what you need to know about a plant-based diet.”.
5. Harvard Health
   Harvard Health is Harvard University’s highly esteemed health department. They say that “Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.”.
6. British Nutrition Foundation
   The British Nutrition Foundation is one of Britain’s largest nutrition organizations. They say that “A well-planned, balanced vegetarian or vegan diet can be nutritionally adequate”.
7. Dietitians of Canada
   Dietitians of Canada is the largest authority of dietitians in Canada. They say “However, a vegan eating pattern can still contain all of the important vitamins and minerals that your body needs. It just takes planning!”.
8. Heart and Stroke Foundation
   The Heart and Stroke Foundation is a highly esteemed organization focusing primarily on heart health and stroke awareness. They say “Vegetarian and vegan diets can provide all the nutrients you need at any age, as well as some additional health benefits. Vegetarian diets often have lower levels of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than many meat-based diets, and higher intakes of fibre, magnesium, potassium, folate and antioxidants such as vitamins C and E.”.
9. Australian National Research and Medical Health Council
   The Australian National Research and Medical Health Council is one of the largest health organizations in Australia and wrote the Australian Dietary Guidelines. In said Guidelines, they said “Appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthy and nutritionally adequate.”.
10. Dietitians Australia
    Dietitians Australia is one of the largest Australian nutrition organizations and is highly esteemed for their work. They say that “Vegan diets are a type of vegetarian diet, where only plant-based foods are eaten. With planning, those following a vegan diet can cover all their nutrient bases”.
11. Italian Society of Human Nutrition
    The Italian Society of Human Nutrition is one of Italy’s most esteemed nutrition authorities. They write that “Well-planned vegetarian diets that include a wide variety of plant foods, and a reliable source of vitamin B12, provide adequate nutrient intake.”.
12. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
    The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is an organization that endorses vegan diets and medical integrity. They write that “A plant-based diet is a powerful way to achieve good health.”.
13. Canadian Paediatric Society
    The Canadian Pediatric Society is one of Canada’s most esteemed pediatric authorities and is very prominent in pediatric health. They write that “A well-balanced vegetarian diet can provide for the needs of children and adolescents.”.
14. Kaiser Permanente
    Kaiser Permanente is one of the longest lasting health organizations and is the largest healthcare provider in the USA. They write that “Healthy eating may be best achieved with a plant-based diet, which we define as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods and discourages meats, dairy products, and eggs as well as all refined and processed foods.” and advocate that physicians should recommend it to patients at risk of diseases partially preventable by plant based diets.
15. Center for Disease Control
    The Center for Disease Control (CDC) is widely known around the world for its work in healthcare and prevention of infectious diseases. They write in their dietary guidelines that “Examples of healthy eating patterns in the Dietary Guidelines include: — Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern — Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern — Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern”.
16. HealthLinkBC
    Health Link British Columbia is an esteemed Canadian health organization working in British Columbia, a Canadian province. They write that “If properly planned, a vegan diet can provide all the nutrients you need.” and even cite various health benefits.
17. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
    The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) is one of the world’s most esteemed medical journals. They write that “Vegans are thinner, have lower serum cholesterol and blood pressure, and enjoy a lower risk of CVD.”, but do stress the need for planning throughout their paper due to various areas where it can be difficult to achieve adequacy.
18. Medical Journal of Australia
    The Medical Journal of Australia is Australia’s largest medical journal and they write in a publication that “This clinical focus project shows that well planned vegetarian diets can meet almost all the nutritional needs of children and adults of all ages.” but do clarify the need for planning.
19. Nutrition Australia
    Nutrition Australia is an Australian nutrition organization and they write in a publication that “Animal products are a major source of certain nutrients in our diet, particularly iron, B12, calcium and omega-3 fats. It is entirely possible to obtain sufficient amounts of these nutrients on a plant-based diet; however, it’s something you will need to be mindful of when reducing your meat, dairy and egg consumption to ensure you don’t develop nutrient deficiencies.”.
20. American Academy of Pediatrics
    The American Academy of Pediatrics is one of the world’s largest pediatric organizations and is highly regarded for their great work in pediatrics. They write that “Some people believe that patients following vegan or vegetarian diets suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Although there have been case reports of children failing to thrive or developing cobalamin deficiency on vegan diets, these are rare exceptions. Multiple experts have concluded independently that vegan diets can be followed safely by infants and children without compromise of nutrition or growth and with some notable health benefits.”.
21. Critical Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition
    Critical Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition (CRFSN) is a highly esteemed medical journal. While not endorsing vegan diets nutritional adequacy, they write that “This comprehensive meta-analysis reports a significant protective effect of a vegetarian diet versus the incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (−25%) and incidence from total cancer (−8%). Vegan diet conferred a significant reduced risk (−15%) of incidence from total cancer.” and speak highly of the diet.
22. The Nutrition Society
    The Nutrition Society, a massive, highly esteemed journal, writes in a publication that “Extensive research into the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets has shown that a well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet can supply all of the nutrients required for good health”.
23. Nutrients
    Nutrients is a highly esteemed, well regarded medical journal. They write that “DAPT study participants who self-identify as either WFPB or vegan have almost identical food and nutrient intake targets, as identified from popular sources of nutrition and cooking information. Based on analyses using NDSR, theoretical dietary intakes of a WFPB diet deviate substantially from MyPlate recommendations. Overall, WFPB diets provide a more nutrient-dense diet than typical US intakes, with less refined grains and added sugars than typical Americans’ diets, though supplements of vitamins B12 and D would be advisable.” and throughout their publication on the diet they highlight the need for supplementation, while mentioning that while difficult, certain nutrients are easily obtained via planning and/or supplementation.

While not endorsing the position that vegan diets are nutritionally adequate or healthful, the following organizations heavily endorse a flexitarian (minimal animal product consumption) diet.

1. The Lancet
   The Lancet is one of the world’s most highly esteemed medical journals. EAT-Lancet’s “planetary health diet”, for which they advocate, they highly encourage a diet minimal in animal products.
2. World Health Organisation
   While not advocating for a vegan diet or pointing at its nutritional adequacy, the WHO heavily encourages a heavy reduction in saturated fat and trans fat consumption whereby one adheres to a mostly plant based diet.

Against vegan diets

While organizations that criticize vegan diets exist, they are not very numerous. Their publications focus primarily on infants and children, and not necessarily mature individuals. Many of them do mention the probability of well planned vegan diets being adequate for children, but they are speaking primarily about probable outcomes, not possible outcomes. When criticizing these diets, many organizations are only looking at the likely outcome based on poor planning, but fail to consider that well planned, appropriately balanced and where necessary, supplemented diets are nutritionally sound.

Organizations that criticize vegan and/or vegetarian diets for children:

1. The Dutch National Nutritional Institute, Stichting Voedingscentrum Nederland
2. Argentinian Hospital Nacional de Pediatría SAMIC
3. Spanish Paediatric Association
4. Académie Royale de Médecine de Belgique (Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium)
5. Sundhedsstyrelsen
6. French Pediatric Hepatology/Gastroenterology/Nutrition Group
7. German Nutrition Society
8. European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
9. Swiss Federal Commission for Nutrition

Conclusion

To conclude, it appears that vegan and vegetarian are widely supported among the medical community. There is much more support than there is criticism. Those who criticize vegan diets tend to be smaller than those who endorse them, which likely means the consensus is largely in favour of vegan and vegetarian diets. Furthermore, those who criticize vegan and vegetarian diets appear to be categorically opposing them, rather than considering the potential for health on well-planned wholefoods plant based diets. There is no existing evidence that suggests that any nutrients cannot be obtained by any means on a vegan diet even when sufficiently planned. Well planned, balanced vegan diets are nutritionally adequate, however, supplementation of certain nutrients such as B12, Omega-3s EPA and DHA are advisable in most cases. There is likely to also be health benefits, most significantly, reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, which is the leading cause of death globally.