Posting parents shun dairy and meat in kids food farce

Vegan mums are snubbing advice from doctors and putting babies as young as six months old on dangerous dairy-free diets after being egged on by Facebook groups.

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Vegan mums are snubbing advice from doctors and putting babies as young as six months old on dangerous dairy-free diets after being egged on by Facebook groups.

An investigation by The Daily Telegraph and Storyful can reveal growing online vegan communities are encouraging parents to ignore medical advice and place their children on strict dairy-free diets.

It comes as top doctors have warned vegan diets carry more health risks for children than they do adults.

“Vegan Baby Led Weaning” — which includes more than 100 Australian members -allows discussion of vegan diets for children as young as six months.

Aussie mums are placing babies as young as six months on dangerous vegan diets.

“This is a VEGAN group,” the rules state. “Do not ask questions about, make posts about, or discuss animal products. This includes all meat, all animal milks and milk products, eggs, and honey.”

A related Australian-based group “Vegan Baby Led Weaning — Australia” — described as a safe place for vegan parents to discuss their experience with baby led weaning — has almost 600 members.

One Sydney-based member told the group she had replaced dairy yoghurt with a coconut-based alternative against nutritional advice.

Coconut yoghurt contains significantly lower levels of calcium — an essential mineral for the development of healthy bones and brain function.

“I’m doing a child nutrition course at the moment and it says to give children cow’s milk products like yoghurt and cheese for protein and fat for healthy growth,” the mum said.

Another mother posting in Vegan Parents Australia was told by members to “find another GP” after she mentioned her doctor had raised concerns about iron intake for her three children.

“If the doctor is concerned, is it automatic, because they are vegan, without knowing anything about their diet? if so I would see another GP,” one member wrote.

A mum from Melbourne wrote in Vegan Pregnancy and Parenting about switching her baby to soy milk against advice of her doctor who had suggested a formula made from cow’s milk.

“We have a lot of kids who received the same advice, and have plant milk instead, and are doing absolutely wonderfully,” a group admin wrote.

Multiple mothers in Vegan Baby Led Weaning also wrote about ignoring their GPs.

“[The doctor] basically said that a vegan diet is irresponsible and that I could even hinder his brain development by not giving meat,” one mother told the group.

“My doctor said some things I really don’t believe so I wanted some veggie mom’s opinions,” said another.

AMA President Dr Tony Bartone said parents who placed their children on strict vegan diets ran the risk of leaving their children with iron and calcium deficiencies.

“Due to the developing nature of their brains and bones the consequences of nutritional deficiencies in children can be catastrophic,” Dr Bartone said.

“Eliminating any food group from their diets should be done under the guidance of your medical practitioner.”

Leading obstetrician gynaecologist Dr Michael Gannon said Facebook was not a substitute for proper medical advice.

He said vegan diets were “exclusion diets” which meant there was a concern children would not get crucial micronutrients particularly iron and b12.

“People should get health advice from their GPs not Facebook group echo chambers,” he said.

Recent research suggests more Australians are going vegan than ever before.

A recent report from research firm Euromonitor International predicted that by 2020, Australia’s vegan packaged food market will be worth $215 million, and that Aussies are the third fastest growing vegan population.

A number of major formula companies are now making vegan formula, including food giant Nestle who announced the launch of their dairy-free formula in July.