The Center for Disease Control surveyed 9,000 parents of children under age 18 to come up with those figures.
The majority of youthful vegetarians say that they chose that lifestyle because they want to protect animals from cruelty or slaughter.
"Compassion for animals is the major reason," said Richard Schwartz, president of the Jewish Vegetarians of North America. This motivation is especially prevalent among young vegetarians who own pets.
One common concern of parents and doctors is that young vegetarians may not consume sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Another worry is that the children will rely too heavily on pasta, sweets, and sodas to obtain calories.
Labels: health, obesity, vegetarians
Posted By: Aspen Education Group
