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The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) has released its updated position statement on vegetarian and vegan diets, reaffirming that appropriately planned plant-based diets are nutritionally adequate and can provide long-term health benefits. The update, published in 2025, comes after the previous 2016 position statement had expired, leading to speculation and misinterpretation about the academy’s stance.
Ryan Lum of Happy Healthy Vegan, a long-time advocate for plant-based diets, addressed claims circulating online that the academy had changed its positive position on vegan diets. He pointed out that the statement clearly supports plant-based eating for adults. “It says that appropriately planned vegan dietary patterns can be nutritionally adequate and can offer long-term health benefits,” Lum explained.
The statement provided in the 2025 paper is as follows:
It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that, in adults, appropriately planned vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns can be nutritionally adequate and can offer long-term benefits such as improving several health outcomes associated with cardiometabolic diseases. Vegetarian dietary patterns exclude meat, poultry, and seafood, and vegan dietary patterns exclude all foods of animal origin.
What about children?
The key change in the 2025 statement is its focus on adults, excluding specific recommendations for children and pregnant or lactating individuals. This differs from previous statements that covered all life stages. The academy notes that dietary planning for children and pregnant people requires specific guidance, which was beyond the scope of this particular paper. This has led some advocates of meat-based diets to claim that the academy advises against vegan diets for kids, which isn’t true. It simply did not address the issue in this particular paper.
Lum addressed the likely response from anti-vegan commentators, stating: “I can see all these anti-vegans and carnivore YouTubers making videos saying, ‘Ah! Vegan diets are dangerous for kids!’ But it doesn’t really say that. It just says this statement applies only to people who are 18 or over.” He emphasized that the academy did not state vegan diets are unsafe for younger individuals but rather that additional considerations are needed.
Here’s what the paper actually says on vegan diets for kids:
This Position Paper addresses vegetarian dietary patterns in adults aged 18 years or older who are not pregnant or lactating. Facilitating vegetarian dietary patterns in individuals younger than age 18 years and/or for those pregnant or lactating requires specific guidance that considers how vegetarian dietary patterns may influence these crucial stages of growth and development and is outside the scope of this Position Paper. The target audience for this article is RDNs, NDTRs, and other health care providers.
As well as pointing out that the report is intended for professionals, rather than as explicit advice for the public, Lum stressed that many people have misinterpreted what the paper states about kids, pregnant people, and those who are lactating. “Let’s be really clear about what it actually says and doesn’t say here about the appropriateness of an all plant diet for people under 18 and people who are pregnant,” Lum said. He then emphasized that the paper says that people who are under 18, pregnant, or lactating “require specific guidance.”
“In other words they require specific guidance for their specific nutritional needs and this specific guidance is outside the scope of this position paper,” he added. “Nowhere in here does it say that if you’re pregnant or under 18 that you can’t eat a diet of all plants, it’s scientifically unsound, you’ll be deficient – it doesn’t say that. It says you need specific guidance and this particular position paper does not delve into the science or at least didn’t find enough science to cover these particular people in this position paper.”
The new position paper aligns with research highlighting the health benefits of plant-based diets, particularly in reducing risks of cardiovascular disease. It also provides recommendations for balanced vegan nutrition, including consuming a variety of plant-based proteins, healthy fats, and essential micronutrients like B12 and iron. The updated statement continues to provide a scientific foundation for plant-based nutrition, reinforcing that with proper planning, vegan diets remain a healthy choice.
Despite online speculation, the academy has not shifted away from its recognition of plant-based diets as a viable and healthy option for adults. Lum concluded: “If any carnivore wants to interpret this as a condemnation of plant-based diets, I’d love to see them find a health organization that recommends eating nothing but meat.”
Are vegan diets safe for kids?
Multiple major health bodies from around the world are of the view that well-planned and nutritionally sound plant-based diets are safe and appropriate for people of all stages of life, including children. The British Dietetic Association states that well-planned vegan diets can support healthy living in people of all ages. Some organizations exercise caution on plant-based diets for kids, due to the fact that they often require careful planning and potential consultation with health professionals.
Louisa Richards, BANT Registered Nutritionist and health writer, previously discussed the issue of vegan diets for children in an article for Plant Based News.
“Some parents and carers are concerned about whether it’s safe and healthy to feed children or babies a vegan diet,” she wrote. “This apprehension is often heightened by news headlines that condemn plant-based eating as unhealthy and unethical for kids. Many tabloids have linked plant-based diets to negative health consequences and even the deaths of children. But these result from carers failing to provide essential nutrients – veganism itself is not to blame.
She added that “plant-based diets can be both safe and healthy for kids. Like all parents, vegan or not, research and planning meals appropriately helps children thrive.”
You should always contact a health professional if you have questions about your child’s diet.
