Growth Patterns of Infants From Vegan Households Similar to Those From Omnivorous Households

THURSDAY, Feb. 19, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Infants from vegan and vegetarian households have growth patterns similar to those from omnivorous households, according to a study published online Feb. 5 in JAMA Network Open.

Kerem Avital, M.P.H., from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Be’er Sheva, Israel, and colleagues examined the association between family dietary patterns (vegan, vegetarian, and omnivorous) and infant growth trajectories, weight status, and stunting in early childhood. The analysis included data from nearly 1.2 million infants identified from a national network of public family care centers (2014 through 2023).

The researchers found that 98.5 percent of infants were from omnivorous households, 0.3 percent from vegan households, and 1.2 percent from vegetarian households. There were small differences in early-infancy length and length-for-age z scores between the dietary groups (World Health Organization z score ≤0.3). Similarly, stunting prevalence was similar across groups (7.0 percent in the vegan and vegetarian groups versus 7.1 percent in the omnivorous group). However, underweight was more common in infants in the vegan versus omnivorous groups (adjusted odds ratio, 1.37). Stunting prevalence by age 24 months declined to 3.1, 3.4, and 3.9 percent in omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan groups, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. There was no difference in underweight or overweight between the dietary groups at age 24 months.

“In the context of developed countries, these findings are highly reassuring,” Avital said in a statement. “The data suggests that with the proper environment, plant-based diets do not compromise the fundamental physical development of infants.”

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