Dustin, Alton: Scientifically, our bodies need chemical compounds to survive. Look at the biochemistry. We don't need meat.

Keith S: On the contrary, veganism is one of the most healthy diets, and if you knew how to cook, you wouldn't think vegan food was bland and dull.

Sally, Seattle, United States

One thing needs to be taught agian to the world. Animals have a very important purpose on this earth and that is to provide food for humans. It is not crual or barbaric to eat animals or animal products.
Scientifically our bodies need a well balanced meal. Which includes animals.

Dustin, Alton,

Now I am labelled a "Meat Eater" and regarded with horror by Vegan people. I enjoy meat but as an appeasement to my conscience (for animal welfare) I eat free range/organic products. The issue here is extremes. Veganism is an extreme which as well as being unhealthy, is terribly bland and dull.

Keith Jackson, Borders, Scotland

If the parents had simply ensured the child received vitamin D, which we all need growing up, regardless of diet then this would not have happened. This is about parenting and NOT about diet.

Verity, UK,

Once again this show British journalism at it's best with a complete biased and uneducated review of a situation. The comments are equally poor especially those who put too much faith in doctors who themselves admit they are not nutritionists. As always this is down to bad parenting NOT a bad diet.

Rus, Haywards Heath,

It isnt veganism that is the problem, its poor parenting. You can be a good parents and raise your children vegan, but these parents obviously didnt.
It isn't being vegan that is the issue here, it is being a responsible parent that takes care of their children's nutrition that seems to be the issue

Kell, Mass, USA

Vegetarianism is child abuse.

http://www.vegetariansareevil.com

Santiago Matamoros, Singapore, Singapore

I believe that all children should have the right to choose what want to they eat, and until they are old enough to choose by themselves, the parents should feed them on a nutritional and healthy diet recommende by a docter.

Hayden, Gisborne, New Zealand

Can i just say that my elder sister is a Doctor, she raises her family on a vegan diet. I am sure she would tell me if there was any problems with doing this myself. At the end of the day, if you do your research into being a vegan you will fins that you can get all the nutrition you need

Bella, Kensington, London,

Any diet can be harmful if not balanced, a vegan diet is very healthy but obviously you need to check its balanced! there is no need to eat any animals or their secretions at all, except for one reason, taste. vitamin d comes from the sun or soya milks, soy margarines, breakfast cereals.research!

clare, manchester, uk

"Look this happens all the time! Two other instances in the past 7 years!!" That's nothing compared to how many children are raised obese!

Kali, Chicago, US

I am vegetarian, my partner and toddler son are vegan. We eat a varied, colourful and tasty diet. Parents do impose diets/views/lifestyles on their children but need to give choice as the child gets older. If done properly, the vegan diet is nutritional, balanced, delicious and easy to follow!

Sue, Hanwell London, UK

I find it interesting how everyone becomes nutritional experts all of the sudden. Don't let the dairy and meat industries scare you into thinking you NEED their products for anything. Think for yourselves!!! Yes you can be thin and eat meat/dairy....but what do your arteries look like?

Meridith, USA,

I think it is awful how those parents put the life of their daughter at risk for a poorly based arguement against animal agriculture. I strongly advocate including the ENTIRE food pyramid in the diet, and this includes adequate portions of meats and dairy. Beef, it's What's for Dinner!

Chris, McClure, usa

Children have different dietary needs than adults. Before you put a child on ANY kind of restrictive diet, speak to your pediatrician and/or a nutritionist so they can recommend alternatives that will still give the child the nutrients they need. You need to be clued in on EVERYTHING.

CNR, Chicago, USA

Ah, Arthur from Newcastle, trust me, the justice system is almost as lenient here in the States as it is by you. Child molesters/murderers get to live in society with a slap on the wrist. They have civil rights, it is said, but I guess my children don't have the right to be safe.

Chrystalle, Chicago, USA

to courtney: breast milk is considered vegan; no vegan will claim otherwise. Human breast milk is meant for human babies, like cow milk is meant for calves, and goat milk for baby goats. This is one of the reasons why we refuse to drink milk from other species, it's unnatural, cruel and needless.

vana, örebro, sweden

There is nothing in a meat and dairy diet that you cannot get from plant based diet, as a life long vegan myself i am living proof its healthy. vitamin d is in the soya milk i drink along with calcium, omega 3, vit e, b12,b 6, prob more but cant remember of the top of my head.meat and dairy harms.

clare, manchester, uk

These vegan parents obviously werent clued up on nutrition, funny how meat eaters think they are experts when actually it is usually but not always vegans who are clued up. milk can cause osteoporis(yes its true)increase risk of cancers, cause anaemia in children,diabetes,i can find more!!

clare, manchester, uk

What about breast feeding....there is not way you can make me believe breast milk is not in the vegan the diet. Yeah sure if you're an adult...but the vegan diet should be easy for babies in the first year. Women's bodies make it for a reason...to feed our babies!

courtney, Santa Clara , united states

Charlie's kids (as wonderful as no doubt they are) "prefer" veganism in the much the same way they "prefer" to speak English.

David Masu, Zürich,

To all the adult vegans saying it is healthy - the issue at hand is vegan diets and CHILDREN. Children have different nutritional needs than adults. You don't give a child adult doses of medicine or adult serving sizes of food. Giving them a diet that works for adult vegans is potentially dangerous.

Colleen, Providence, RI

I was brought up on a vegetarian diet from birth but in my early 20's developed an intolerance to all dairy products Therefore, i became a vegan and i have not felt any differently. i now have a 6 month old baby who will also be a vegan because it is a great lifestyle where you are healthy and happy

Bella, Kensington, London,

It's the year 2008!! There is no government in the world that says you need to eat meat & dairy to live an optimally healthy life. We are primates like gorillas, let's eat like them, a RAW VEGAN DIET!! I'm a raw vegan body builder & athlete & can go head to head with any meat eater...

chris, Australia,

Natal care should include consideration for lifestyles like this. If a family is staunchly vegan, they should be instructed if not mandated to supplement their child's diet with vitamin extracts.

That would have helped avoid what's happened to this girl.

Sam, Lancaster, England

I've got 3 beautiful vegan children. They have more vitality, are slimmer, fitter than most of the other children their age who appear to eat a diet based on junk and processed meat and dairy. I'm vegan for 10 years and my children have the option to eat whatever they want,but they prefer Veganism

Charlie, Herts, England

I suggest the title is changed to "Parents of ill Scottish girl may face police"

It has just as little to do with her illness so would work just as well. You could then go on to claim how the poor weather and abundance of indoor areas led to a lack of sunlight resulting in a lack of vitamin D.

James, Surrey,

Shurely the very fact that nature gives a mother the ability to produce human milk is a big hint at what sort of food a young child should be geting .

Martin, Tunbridge wells, england

Vegan diet is not dangerous, we need to know the full picture.

Milk of other species with vit D added is not a natural health food!

My vegan son is thriving well, intelligent and tallest in the class but 1. He is not starving!
Many vegan children are very healthy, many meateaters are not

Deborah, Ramsgate, UK

I call rubbish on Vegan life style. I am an athlete and so are both of my pre teen sons. We are meat eating health freaks. We can out perform anything that comes to challenge us. I am power lifter/body builder, and no way could I survive in competition by eating like a rabbit. We are humans. EATMEAT

David Couture, Winnipeg, Canada

Who would choose to be vegan if it killed people who did it? All of the vegans I know have spent a long time researching their diets to ensure they get the correct nutrients from the foods they eat.

Vitamin deficiencies caused by diet are due to bad meal planning, and nothing else.

Fuchsia Arnold, Slough, England

it's NOT natural to continue drinking milk past breast-feeding. 70% of the world can't digest it, we are supposed to lose the ability after weening and it's a genetic mutation that allows some of us to continue to be able to. no other species drinks the milk of another...it's quite sick really.

Jess , Durham,

3 vegan kids, vegan since birth, fantastically healthy. Most vegans I know know more about nutrition that meat eaters as we ensure our kids follow a balanced, nutritious diet. Surely fat obese meat and diary eating kids are being abused by their parents?

anne, london, uk

Not only does my vegan son surpass his peers physically, he does so emotionally and mentally. Vegan parents make wonderful, caring, empathetic concerened parents. Thae parent that promotes a carnivorous diet should be brought on charges of child abuse. Meat based diets are dangerous and disgustin

eileen scanlon christofi, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Those warped, short sighted, un-fit to be parents that deprive their children of such basic food ingrediants to grow healthily, probably also deprive them of many other things that they need in their early life.

paul, Edenbridge, uk

Exposure to sunlight also creates vitamin D. What if this unfortunate young girl has a genetic condition? The idea that the authorities become involved in what we feed our children is, frankly, disgusting!
Also, how many meat eating parents have neglected their children?
BTW I'm a meat eater!

Matthew Hayden, Miramar, Florida

Vegans can be perfectly healthy, if they plan their diet right. Meat is easily replaceable in a human diet. It's been done for years, and hopefully it will keep on going. Sorry, ignorant people, but many refuse to uphold the horrid practices and cruelty of the meat industry. Maybe you should think.

Caitlin, Birmingham, US

If this girl had been born into an immigrant family and undergone female circumcision, people would be up in arms demanding that 'these people' confirm to our cultural norms. So why are fabricated middle class sub-cultures indulged?

Eric Skelton, cardiff, wales

How many non-vegan kids have been been fed by their parents on awful, sugary, fatty foods, thereby storing up problems for the kids later in life? Loads! At least Veganism is a healthy diet, if done properly.

Dawn, London,

As a parent of two healthy, strong, and intelligent vegan children, ages 5 and 13, I am offended that veganism would be considered the culprit in these situations. Parents have a responsibility to be informed and educated, and have their children's best interests as a priority.

Tara Charkowski, New Jersey, USA

Are they also going to prosecute all the parents who stuff their kids full of chicken McNuggets until they are obese and equally unhealthy? I hope so! There's far too many of them around and I wonder what their life expectancy is?

Roger S, Derby,

But they aren't talking about vegetarianism, they are talking about being a vegan, which is much harsher on the body and stricter.

bliss, coventry,

'breast milk comes from an animal, the babys mother - yes Suzyn, humans are mammals but breastfeeding is naturally vegan as it is human milk for a human baby not the milk of another species. Processed soya & cows milk infant formulas are both unnatural forms of infant nutrition whatever the diet.

Sarah, Gtr Manchester, UK

Are people missing this part?:
"Glasgow city council said the incident involving the 12-year-old girl had not been referred to its social work department."

That means this is not a case of neglect. The girl has a degenerative bone disease, the fact she's vegan is inconsequential.

Nyphur, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Making a child go vegetarian from birth may be a viable option, but depriving a child of animal milk is just plain idiocy. The moment the girl ceased to be breast-fed (assuming indeed she had been breast-fed) her health would have been a ticking bomb.

Simon Alvani, runcorn, UK

Disgusting. How hard is it to work these things out.

Eyes at front of head,
Thin tooth enamel,
Only one stomach.

The human animal is designed to eat everything.

This is child abuse.

Jason, Elgin, Scotland

Aileen,
Maybe veganism is natural (although we have evolved to eat meat), but so are death and ill health. The problem is that two amino acids are missing in meat free diets, plus few vegans actually know enough about diet to have a healthy one.

louis, uk,

Most Vegans and a great deal of Vegetarians that I know and have met generally look malnourished and pop quite a cocktail of supplements. Where are those supplements that they're taking derived from? As one other commentator has already stated 'We cannot deny our genetic heritage'

Andrew Rossiter, Nailsea, United Kingdom

More children are harmed by junk food rather than a vegan diet. Vitamin D deficiency is primarily caused by not spending enough time in the sun. Last year I was rather ill myself, my health problems improved dramatically after eating raw vegan food, drinking distilled water and sunbathing!

Stuart Porter, Durham, UK

The whole point to this article is not that being Vegan is bad it is because imposing the vegan lifestlye onto children is unhealthy.

amber, Las Vegas, USA

Many meat eaters mistakenly believe that the only good source of iron is red meat, and the only good source of calcium is dairy. But if these come from cows, where do they get it from? They don't make it themselves - they get it from eating plants. A varied, plant-based diet is very healthy.

Aileen, Richmond, VA, USA

For those who argue that we are 'top of the food chain' and that eating meat is 'natural' for humans, consider where your meat comes from. Is is 'natural' to buy frozen or styrofoam-packaged meat products? This is not what nature intended - nor is the human consumption of another animal's milk.

Aileen, Richmond, VA, USA

WE evolved as vegetarians / omnivores, the vegan lifestyle is a wholehearted attempt to avoid ALL animal based products.... a good philosophy if you ensure that as an evolved omnivore you also fill in the gaps a 100% herbivorous diet misses out.... we cannot negate our genetic past!!!!!!

John C Bullas, Southampton, UK

And please, a diet high in fat and sugar is far more dangerous to a child than a vegan diet - look at the rate of childhood obesity. There is nothing "normal" about a meat-based diet and of course a parent has to impose a dietary choice on their children - that's what all meat eaters do after all.

Martin, Liverpool, UK

Once again a multitude of comments without all of the facts. This Vegan diet must have been very poorly constructed to have caused such suffering to this child, how come the school or someone didn't pick it up before. Rickets is very obvious to see. Godd help the society we live in.

Tracie, Brecon, Wales

I am a healthy vegetarian (endoresed by both doctors and nutritionists). My diet now is far more balanced than when I ate meat. What always makes me laugh is how many obese, fast food addicts feel it is there obligation to lecture me on how being vegie is unhealthy.

Hannah, Surrey, UK

I wonder how many women will find in the future that they have serious bone thinning due to eating badly constructed vegan or vegetarian diets and by restricting their diets in order to be unnaturally thin? The problem with extreme vegan diets is almost certainly the tip of the iceberg.

sally marshall, bristol,

Parents should not force their dietary beliefs on their children.

But the life sentence handed out from the American judicial system to the parents that killed their baby is extreme.

Education would have been better than incarceration.

A. Hunt, London, UK

Children brought up as vegan or other "lifestyle" diets which can potentially be hazardous need to be monitored. Yes, it's something of an insult to many vegans, but cases like this highlight the necessity.

Leon Wolfeson, Oxford, UK

There seems to be a lack of intelligence going on in this debate.

First, we don't know if veganism or outright neglect is responsible.
Second, I see no difference in "forcing your values" of veganism on children, and those of meat eating.

I'm a meat eater, but I respect other's healthy beliefs.

Laura Roberts, London, United Kingdom

Ironically, if our ancestors did not consume meat thousands of years ago these two nuckleheads would not even have the cognitive capacity to choose to become vegan. This poor child's parents should be jailed & force fed milkshakes while watching the end of 'There Will Be Blood' in infinitum.

Tim, Philadelphia, USA

It's been proven that not all humans are equal in terms of nutritional needs. Some people do quite well on vegan or types of vegetarian diets and some need animal protein whether from meat, eggs or dairy products. Some flexible thinking is needed and no need for people to get defensive.

Karen, Adelaide, Australia

I was raised as a vegetarian from birth. nearly 25 and I was always the best sportman allround! I'm glad I was brought up as a vege, it shows there are no consequences to the diet I have.

Sam, Manchester,

Brett, the point is that your daughter isn't on a strict vegan diet if you are (wisely, i might add) giving her cod liver oil.

Vic, London,

Suj, Please consider the word starvation- the poor child didn't eat anything! Some facts of life cannot be altered by good intentions. I know many parents who follow vegetarian diets but take care to ensure their children are suitably nourished even if it goes against their beliefs- common sense!

Dave, Fareham, UK

My child is vegetarian and he is fit and healthy and has bundles of energy. Its a very healthy diet.He has never had any vitamin deficiencies as his diet is so varied.

I wouldn't give him a vegan diet. I think it would be far too restrictive. I think cheese is a very good food for children.

wendy Johnson, East Midlands, UK

a child does not get the spine of an 80yr old from not enough sunshine hello!? There are always exceptions but you cannot expect a baby/child on a vegan diet to thrive and be healthy. And what is the point of filling your child with extra vitimans etc when they are found naturally in food!? Unfair

J, Aberdeen, Uk

You silly vegans and vegetarians; I represent those life forms that cannot speak nor defend themselves. Free broccoli, free cabbage, and free lettuce! Boycott all vegetable and fruit consumption - you evil vegan and vegetarian’s.

Shawn, Lex, USA

Every parent imposes a diet on their children. My parents imposed a meat diet on me until I was old enough to become vegetarian/vegan. The issue is not that she was vegan but that her parents were not giving her a balanced diet. What about obese children who live on fast food - that is just as bad!

Marie , London, UK

nigel blankenship, nyc, usa
starving: the act of depriving of food or subjecting to famine
I wonder which of us is eating the more natural diet. I get by on oatmeal, potaoes, rice, beans, salad & fruit. You get by on the flesh of dead animals, their secretions (milk) and their unborn young (eggs)

Jeremy, Cape Town, S Africa

The dangers of veganism are due to not receiving vital vitamins and minerals essential to good health. If someone wishes to be a vegan they must take sufficient dietary supplements so they still get the vitamins and minerals they need. Obviously this couple did not do this with tragic results

Holly , Kingston, UK

First, I feel terrible for this girl and her family .
I don't know enough about nutrition to lecture about how good/bad veganism is but I noticed that many of those here who ARE cite the SUN as a magical SOURCE of vitamin D.
How can these people judge when they are as ill-informed as the parents?

Indigo, UK,

Veganism in itself is not to blame - a properly maintained vegan diet can be very healthy and perfectly adequate. It is, however, much more complicated to plan this properly maintained diet, and therefore vegans can be prone to malnourishment. Education, as always, is the answer...

Ella, London,

Most seem unaware that dairy isn't a natural source of vitamin D. Wikipedia: "Only fish is naturally rich in vitamin D, so much vitamin D intake in the industrialised world is from fortified products including milk, soy milk and breakfast cereals or supplements". Veganism isn't the culprit.

Emelie, Vermont, USA

Eileen, there is no such thing as a 'vegan ten year old boy', just a boy aged ten who has had vegnisn thrust upon him.

I am willing to bet that dairly, fish or meat eating has never been an option for him, so he has not had the opportunity to choose to be vegan.

Vicki, London, England

Half the world is starving and half the world is obese. In this day an age there really is no excuse for lack of knowledge on a healthy nutritious diet. If you are lucky enough to be born in a developed country, you should act like a developed person.

Dr Timothy Chan, Carmarthen, UK

My family is completely vegan, and I get told regularly that my daughter is one of the most energetic children they have ever met. Being vegan, Iron and VitD need special consideration, but we eat lots of red beans and spend plenty of time in the sun (more than we should, to be honest).

Paul, Ohio, USA

Humans are the only creatures on earth who drink milk from another species. That totally seems natural to me. Right?

Chuck, Greensboro, USA

this is not a problem related to the choice of diet but rather an example of parents not feeding their child a BALANCED diet. vitamin D and calcium are not restricted to dairy produce. also please remember that people who eat dairy are in the minority 30% of this world who can actually digest it.

Jess , Durham,

Of course these parents should be reported to social services. Their willful actions contributed to the physical decline of their charge and resulted in her hospitalization with preventable injuries. She will need treatment and therapies to correct her deficiencies.

This is willful child neglect.

Carolyn Abernathy, Glenham, New York, USA

This is a human rights question. Should parents force their religious beliefs or their dietary fads on their children even if their intentions are good? Should you smoke at home in front of children? Should pregnant women drink? Logically the answer should be 'no' but how can you police it?

Kevin Miller, Tonbridge,

@Paul G, ebbsfleet, kent, UK

Blame culture

Howard, Manchester,

I know a child who is omnivorous and who developed osteoporosis as a result of a severe gluten intolerance. I did not know gluten intolerance could somehow leach out calcium from the bones, but no doubt if they had been a vegan family, veganism would have been blamed!

Lesley Dove, Hampton, UK

If social workers were being asked to intervene on behalf of children because the parents smoke in the house or car around them, that would make a lot more sense, and would be backed up by enough scientific studies on the health of the children. There is no roof that veganism is dangerous in itself

Lesley Dove, Hampton, UK

What will it take for people to realise the responsibility they have when they chose to bring a child into this world. There is no end to the endless cycle of abuse that innocent children are subjected to every minute. What a different world it would be if children could chose their parents.

Hazel Devine, Moate, Co. Westmeath, Ireland

This will be the next coming health problem in the west, just wait and see. Personaly I think the most healty meal for us humans, is fish, meat and vegitables . In large areas of the world you can't grove corn and vegitables, there we haft to eat fish and meat, so I can't understand that trend

Axel , Torshavn, Faroe Island

The cases at the end of the article are not relevant - they do not refer to the dangers of a vegan diet but are cases in which people starved their children. i am a 17 year old vegetarian. it is probs healthier to be vegetarian and at an older age can choose to be vegan but i respect vegans.

Katherine, Wiltshire,

If this girl had been in this condition because of her parents' religious beliefs, no one would dare do anything, but because their beliefs don't involve a magic man who lives in the sky, they don't have the same protection.

Ian, sheffield, UK

Birds which are seed-eaters know that they need to feed their growing offspring protein in the form of insects etc. even though they also will grow to be seed-eaters. Seems that birds have more sense than some supposedly intelligent humans! And where were social services again? Twelve years!

M.Robinson, London, UK

Vitiamin D issue: Sunshine does create it. It has several functions, one of which is to help the body absorb calcium. This presupposes there is calcium in the body to be absorbed. No milk or cheese limits the calcium sources in the diet. Figs, almonds, w/meal bread would have helped.

Melanie, London, UK

to Jem, London

as a 33 year old raised (and still) vegitarian from birth, I'd say there's nothing wrong with that. But there's a difference between vegitarian and vegan, and esp for young children strict vegan is very difficult to provide all necessary nutrients. Vegitarian is much safer and simple

Bram, Amersfoort, NL

the crux of this case is surely not what beliefs one holds but rather whether those beliefs are modifiable in the face of suffering caused by them.

mya, bristol,

"my 3 kids ...are the 3 fittest, smartest and most attractive children I know. jem, london, uk"

Must be true then - I've never heard any other parent say that...

Homer, London,

Hitler had a mustache. You can imagine the story: "Men with mustaches more likely to be killers" It's obviously ridiculous. Likewise with vegetarianism. Many many people throughout the world never eat any meat at all in their lives - think of Kerala (most of India for that matter).

Nullius, london, uk

In reply to Samuel, it was not a dietry problem, more age, he is in his 80`s and never had any problem like that in the past.He has always eaten well of a good variety of fruit and vegetables, Plus meat..

margie , victoria, australia

Anyone who brings up their child as a vegan is dooming them to a life of ruining wedding menues

James, Leeds, UK

As a physician I support the position of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and the Diatitians of Canada (DC): "Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence."

Dr. Ernst W. Henrich, Staad, Switzerland

There is nothing wrong with a vegan diet. Vegan products tend to be fortified with Vitamin D, so the doctors should be looking at the child's genetics for any lacking component to rectify the illness.

Chris, Birmingham,

As a mother of a vegan 10 year old boy, I take offense to vegans being labeled as horrible parents! My son is much larger in stature than his flesh eating peers! Larger as in stronger, taller and bone structure (not in a weighty manner). He is strong, beautiful, and yes exceptionally healthy.

eileen scanlon christofi, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

The reason why the girl had a vitamin D deficiency could have been for several reasons or a combination of these reasons.

The vitamin D that people get from the sun as people above have rightly mentioned is from not only the sun (the utlra-violet B rays) but is from their reactions with the sterols

Paul Shelley, Birmingham, UK

My contact with Vegans has always confirmed that they have two basic character traits - they don't actually like food full stop and they are misanthropes. Indeed on that latter point, I'm reminded of the old French saying that wherever animals are worshipped humans are sacrificed.

Tony McMahon, London, UK

in the body. Adequate vitamin D can be derived from the sun under normal conditions if people spend enough time outside.
Scotland is not the sunniest of areas but it is between October and March when the ultra violet B ray is not present (www.vegansociety.com) more supplements are needed in order to

Paul Shelley, Birmingham, UK

make up for this or there needs to be ample storage in the liver to avoid a deficiency.
(1) the girl could have had a sterol deficiency
(2) the girl may not have been getting out enough in the sunlight.

In order to add to the amount people get, there are vitamin D supplements in soya milk and vegan

Paul Shelley, Birmingham, UK

of nutrition is needed to do this safely.

Paul Shelley, Birmingham, UK

Vegan diets certainly IS the cause. Vegan meals DO NOT give a body a healthy dose of vitamins and iron that is absolutely needed to sustain growth, proper iron and nutrients for children or adults. Study after study has shown that vegan-type meals will eventually harm the human body.

chub, Clinton Twp, USA

jeremy from capetown, dont be ridiculous - they starved their babies to death by not providing nutritive content they required. starvation rarely means eating no food, most often it involves eating the WRONG food to a deadly degree. you can easily die of starvation with a stomach full of fiber!

nigel blankenship, nyc, usa

Samuel, Oxnard, CA, USA:
1) Vegetarian is different to vegan.
2) A vegetarian diet is an 'omnivorous' diet as it contains animal products such as eggs and dairy.
3) Vegetarians do not need supplements to be healthy, they just need a balanced diet (like everyone else). I am a proof of this.

Jenny, Cambridge,

Homo Sapiens is an omnivore, veganism is unnatural. Mad parents who force their beliefs on their kids and thereby severly damage them deserve punishment. If they are vegan animal rights nutters they should be doubly punished as an example to others.

Mark, Ware, UK

sianz, Portland, tahiti: You wrote 'Please remove or file flat your 4 sets of canines then we talk about humans not biologically built for eating meat.'

The four individual 'canine' teeth in primates are primarily used for dominance display, not eating. It's the molars which are specialised.

Jenny, Cambridge,

We dont know the full story yet! The media are very quick to condemn vegans. Vegan vitamin D-fortified foods - such as soy milk and cereals, are widely available now. This is not a "fad" diet, this is a healthy way of life!

Pearl, Westcliff on Sea, England

my 3 kids, veggie since birth, are the 3 fittest, smartest and most attractive children I know.

what is extreme about not wanting to kill when it is unnecessary and it is possible to have a perfectly balanced diet? if you think I'm not taking care of them, you are ignorant. I blame your parents!

jem, london, uk

It's fascinating to read some of the comments from Vegans - people who wear their hearts on their sleeves on animal cruelty but seem to care nothing for human children.
Interesting to see where a good 'pose' can lead...
As for the Officials, do your job and save this child from death or disability

Mark, Hong Kong,

To William, Cambridge, England

Heres an example: Khyra Ishaq, died of starvation (may 08) even though she was not following a specific diet, i.e she was allowed meat and dairy

Suj, London,

Vitamin D does not COME from sunshine. It is produced from chemicals already present in the body, when the body is EXPOSED to sunshine. If the diet the girl was under did not contain the requisite chemicals, she could not produce vitamin D. The question is whether the diet was responsible. Is it?

Richard, Cardiff, Wales

simon, valencia, spain.....

i couldn't agree more .........

jenny, edinburgh,

It infuriates me that the girl's veganism was even mentioned here. Her illness comes from her parents' negligence, not from veganism. It is possible to bring children up as vegans and I am sure there are thousands of malnourished kids out there who have been eating meat and dairy all their lives.

Ed, Coventry, UK

My little girl is 2 1/2 years old, has never been vaccinated, eats a strictly vegan diet except for the addition of cod liver oil (very potent source of Vitamin D3). She has never been sick, or even thrown up her food. Incredibly healthy, and smart. Veganism is not the issue, the girl is ill.

Brett Schwinders, Bangor, Maine, USA

I urge all readers to re read the penultimate paragraph in this article. Two cases are cited where vegan couples STARVED their children to death. These people are murderers. Their diet chiet choice is of NO CONSEQUENCE.

Jeremy, Cape Town, S Africa

dear carolyn,

If this has nothing to do with veganism, list me some similar casses where the child has been a meat eater. come off it, use your common sense.

william, cambridge, england

This whole tragedy is more to do with whether parents should impose their beliefs on their growing children at possible risk to the childrens' health than the merits or otherwise of a vegan or omnivorous diet. It raises the question of whether the parents regard their children as their property..

Bob Ericson, Tewkesbury, Glos, UK

20 minutes a day exposure to the sun provides enough vitamin D. All margarines and soya milk are fortified in Britain because of the lack of sunshine in winter. This case has absolutely nothing to do with veganism. Incidentally our "canines" look nothing like those of a cat - a true meat eater.

Carolyn Jackson, Isle of Man,

Sunlight is required to convert the precursor of Vitamin D into its active form, which is why time spent outside is important. This conversion can also take place in the liver and kidneys. However, if the precursor is not existent in the body, no amount of sunshine or conversion attempts will help.

MK, Nottingham, UK

Would those who are saying that not enough sunshine was the problem (usually Americans from some sun drenched state) PLASE STOP!!! This happened in Scotland not Miami!!! . We get very little sunshine even in summer. It gets dark at half past three in winter! Your ignorance of that fact is only slightly more embarrassing than your irrational support of the abuse of this child.

Bobby Spray, Glasgow, UK

Ronnie:

Not so easy to get 20 minutes of sun a day when you live in Scotland!!

Sally, Ruislip, UK

When I was a child I went on a camping holday where iin the next feild was a vegan camp, I made friends with a few of the children but they all look very pale and couldn't play for long.

I think when your an adult and fully grown then your body can handle more, but as a child you need a good diet

Lucie, Macclesfield,

the poor girl is having some serious problems and we should sympathise. but why have the parents been branded as the culpits. does the medical profession say that the symptoms faced by the affected girl are not seen in meat eaters.

Jayaram, Navi Mumbai, India

Neither of these cases have anything to do with being a vegan.

Vitamin D comes from the sun. All the child needed to do was get twenty minutes of sunshine daily.

Being a vegan had nothing to do with the child that died either. she was starved to death. Meat eaters starve to death also.

Ronnie Wright, Perth, Australia

For the Christians, who don't think that we are "evolved" from cockroaches or anything else, Adam and Eve were originally "raw vegan" - 'nuff said.

Philip, Nr. Haywards Heath, England

Poor girl.

My partner and I were vegetarians and when our first child was born, we gave her a normal, meat included, food for a baby. Like religion, why should I impose my belief system on my children - open their eyes to everything, teach them to be good people and let them make their own choices

simon, valencia, spain

First, i'm very sorry for this girl. Sorry for being sick, and sorry for having those parents.

But then again, this is evolution. If you want to survive on salad and soymilk, be my guest. But remember, only the fittest survive.
You'd think there is a reason we are omnivores.

Gerard, Enschede, Netherlands

Paul G: the girl does deserve our sympathy, the parents don't. A completely vegetarian diet is very difficult to live on and requires the addition of supplements. A vegetarian diet is a slow way to kill most omnivores (i.e. man).

Margie: sounds like a diet issue to me if he was put on vitamins.

Samuel, Oxnard, CA, USA

Regardless of dietary choices, if you don't know how to put together a balanced diet for your child, it has an effect on their health. Vitamin D comes from sunlight, not being vegan.

When I went veggie, mum ensured I ate properly, and I became much healthier than as a meat eater who was often ill.

Donna, London,

the poor girl is having some serious problems and we should sympathise. but why have the parents been branded as the culpits. does the medical profession say that the symptoms faced by the affected girl are not seen in meat eaters.

Jayaram, Navi Mumbai, India

There could be a problem that has nothing to do with the diet. Someone I know had a problem that they were lacking in iron. It took time, but it was found there was plenty of iron in the body, but it was not being absorbed. He was put on somethings, including Vit C, by his doctor, with good result

margie, victoria, australia

62 comments as I type and not one expresses sympathy for the girl or her parents.

I'm not sure what that says about us.

I hope things aren't as bad as the article suggests and that she is able to make a full recovery.

Paul G, ebbsfleet, kent, UK

becoming vegan is a decision for adults. vegetarianism itself is sketchy even, given that a lot of us don't really know what to eat to make up for what we are not getting from meat products. geez.

blythe, augusta, ga, US

No society/culture lives on a vegan diet. Strict Buddhist and Hindus are not vegan ie they consume diary. Without modern knowledge and supplements a vegan diet is suicide for a child. A illiterate vegetarian Indian slum dweller could raise a healthier child than these two.

William, Vancouver, Canada

Let's see...get the child lots of sun...in Scotland...

Perhaps the plan needs some revision, especially between October and March.

Yamaneko, West Lafayette IN USA,

The problem I think is that some people have choices without enough knowledge. Being vegetarian does not mean eat only salads, food sources of vitamin D include breakfast cereals, soymilk, and rice milk that have been fortified with vitamin D. Also Sunlight in very important to synthesize it.

Rafael, Phoenix, AZ, USA

I suspect this child has some other underlying illness that might prevent her from absorbing vitamin D. We get most of our vitamin D from the sun - not from dairy.

Christine, San Francisco, USA

I'm curious how many kids are on a vegan diet; I'm inclined to believe this child has a genetic issue, exacerbated by the vegan diet. I won't throw stones; the parents probably felt they're doing the right thing. I'm not a vegan and don't recommend it for children; but let the adults do as they like

Dan'l, Portland, US

I would like to see parents of overweight or otherwise unhealthy children face the police as well.
The fact is that it's not even about VEGANISM. It's about parents not knowing about proper nutrition. You can TOTALLY be vegan and be perfectly healthy - just as you can by eating meat or dairy.

Alysia, bangor, us

Meat eaters can be very healthy as well. You won't become obese just because you eat meat. . A vegan diet can also be healthy but you have to be careful in what you eat so that you can get all the nutrients and vitamins that you need. A parent should be even more careful with younger children.

Ana, Boston, USA

This is criminal child abuse of the most heinous sort.

Raul, Alamo, USA

Gorilla's are not vegan nor truly vegetarian. They eat insects and other invertebrates that provide the needed vitamins that these "parents" did not for their kids.

Check your facts Mr. John Christensen of Boston

http://www.ypte.org.uk/docs/factsheets/animal_facts/gorilla.html

Gregory Cohen, Tallahassee, FL, USA

Vegans often - presuppose a kind of superiority. But it's not possible to be vegan in extreme climates like the Artic or Mongolian steppes. The relationship between man and animal has been symbiotic for good reason.

Indeed Buddha loved chicken and under medical advice the Daly Lama eats it now!!

Roxann, London,

Many vegan babies and children develop retinal degeneration (including macular) because of an insufficiency of the amino acid "Taurine". It is nowadays routinely added to commercial baby food and pet food for that reason. However, its source is, as far as I know, always animal.

Jon Maynard, Lansing MI, USA

There are so many "experts" who know nothing.

Leslie H, Zhangzhou, China

To Miss Samantha Andrews: The experts weren't necessarily saying that children MUST eat meat, and I do believe one can derive the necessary nutrients from DAIRY as well. Vitamins and mineral supplements, maybe a protein shake or two, might have helped. Ignorance is best left in the woods.

Melinda, San Diego, US

I am tired of people with extremist views not being understanding of others. Personally, the "vile industries" don't need any scare tactics to keep me supporting them. I love meat. We did not climb to the top of the food chain to deny ourselves the fruits of nature.

Timothy Bill, Indianapolis, USA

J Cline is totally right. healthy living is all about striking a fine balance. those parents are selfish for letting their childs health degenerate and they should be put in jail and have the child taken into care. as a practicing carnivore and dairy enthusiast, i point and laugh at the vegans

W Moelter, London, United Kingdom

Many kids are raised on vegan diets as healthy kids, because parents understand nutritional needs. A vegan diet can include breastmilk, but babies need sun for vit. D, or given vit. D. Can't condemn veganism due to just two ignorant parents. Parents who create obese kids are the real child killers.

Patti, Crescent City, California, USA

Dear Mr. Kabis,

Have you ever seen the teeth of a gorilla? They put our canines to shame and they're vegetarian so "evolution" would tell us that we should be vegetarian.

John Christensen, Boston, MA, United States

thats fine, stupid parents are best not allowed to breed more stupid people. you people bicker about baby having the right to life and violently against abortion, but ends up killing them with malnutrition. totally cracks me up.


Please remove or file flat your 4 sets of canines then we talk about humans not biologically built for eating meat.

sianz, Portland, tahiti

As the Greek philosphers used to say (does anyone take Western Civ anymore in Britain?), "NOTHING TO EXCESS." In diet as in life, it is extremes of behavior and usage that kill us, not moderate intake of any substance -- or belief system, for that matter. Humans are natural omnivores, not vegans.

J Cline, London,

If anyone believes that children need meat to be healthy are completely fooled. Its just another scare tactic by the vile industries trying to save a bloody buisness from exposure to the facts. These industries are a cruel establishment who are trying desperately to scare as many people as possible.

Samantha Andrews, Burnley, Europe

I am a life long vegetarian and a mother of nine. I breastfed all my children (collectively adding up to 11 and a half years) two of my children aged 23 - 6yrs are vegetarians and seven eat meat. It is the eldest and youngest that opted out, they like me, rejected it on taste and texture as babies.

Lynne, High Wycombe, Bucks

Margaret of London I think you have this the wrong way round. I try to accommodate my vegetarian friends' dietary preferences. This is never reciprocated though. Find me a vege restaurant with meat dishes on it. Veganism is safe? The child is very ill due to a VEGAN diet. Open your eyes.

Ian Burgess, Bristol,

Two of my breastfed children 'failed to thrive' I discovered with help from my health visitor, that when I ate cheese and dairy produce they gained only an ounce a week, but when I didn't they gained 7 -10 oz this problem continued on solid food. I though am chubby & intend to go vegan for my health

Lynne, High Wycombe, Bucks

Dentition denotes diet… our teeth tell us we were meant to eat meat. Maybe not as much as people in first-world countries do, but it is an essential part of our diet. To claim otherwise is to ignore biology and evolution and the overwhelming amount of evidence they bring to the table.

René Kabis, Kelowna, Canada

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH A VEGAN DIET, and mass ignorance about it only produces hysteria like this article. Vitamin D comes from SUNSHINE. The only crime these parents committed is not letting this kid out more! The "leading nutritionist" quoted here is dangerously ignorant. "Hazardous" my rear.

Nick, Portland, U$A

This is a case of parents not knowing what they're doing - not because they're vegans, but because they haven't educated themselves enough to properly feed their child. However, the last half of the article is ridiculous and seems to imply that all vegans starve their children.

Laura, St. Paul, MN, US

A child doesn't suddenly get the spine of an 80 year old, did her teachers not notice? Or the hospital when she was admitted with fractured bones? Tofu, other soy products and greens should have been in her diet. Is the damage done - or can vitamin D and calcium improve bone condition?

diana, derby,

The vegan diet is considered by the world's leading nutritionists to be the most healthy for humans at all stages of life - with a little research it's easy to get all the necessary vitamins. Don't be misled by this article. Parents who care about their children's health should eliminate meat&dairy

VeganFuture, Dublin, Ireland

Quite right. It is a form of child abuse for parents to impose any kind of unbalanced diet on a growing child who is too young to resist their propaganda. The 2 least-healthy children I have known were raised vegetarian by vegetarian parents: I suspect poor nutrition from the womb onwards.

Doc M, Glasgow,

if we're going to start punishing parents for forcing their stupid and dangerous ideas on their children, we'll need to build more prisons.

meat eaters are worse than smokers. :0)

jem, london, uk

I must assume that parents who feed their children in such a way believe they're doing the right thing. The State has no call to then criminalize a failed strategy. The State should have to prove malice - that the parents knew what they were doing was harmful and did it anyway.

Sam, Plainsboro, USA

Declare that bacon is a vegetable.

Problem solved.

Matt, Glebe, Australia

how exactly does this case demonstrate how veganism is safe margaret????

frankribbitty, LONDON, UK

Many children all over the world are raised as healthy vegans. There is more to this case than we are being told but many meat eaters have no greater wish than to impose their dietary regimes on vegans/vegetarians. This one example serves only to demonstrate how safe veganism/vegetarianism is!

Margaret, London, England

Bob from Des Moines,

Eating meat does not predispose you to becoming "morbidly obese with diabetes and heart disease".It is neither hazardous nor abusive to eat meat,but is necessary to get all the iron etc that we need, unless you substitute meat with other sources.Ever heard of a happy medium?

Nina, Bristol,

People are idiots... MODERATION... Meat is not the reason people are fat, just like vegan diets are unhealthy as well.. The problem is MODERATION... Todays person is predisposed to overdoing EVERYTHING. We, as a people, are incapable of accepting the blame for our own stupidity. "Not my fault its.."

David, Edmonton, Canada

As pointed out in another comment, this child is not dead because of veganism, she's dead because of either ignorance and stupidity or deliberate malice. Contrast this with the reporting of the 6 children of meat-eaters recently found starving in Birmingham, one of whom died.

K, Cheshire,

We know little about these parents but it's unfair to demonise veganism in general? It may be a case of multiple ideas causing harm together. Are they perhaps also amongst the sad, misinformed people who do great harm to their children by keeping them out of the sun, the best source of vit D ?

David Craig, Lagrasse, France

"Dietary beliefs" whether based on religion or animal rights should always be backed up with knowledge. Otherwise they should be ignored.

diana, derby,

You meat-eaters, "forcing" your diet and "ethics" on your children, you go right ahead with what you're doing. When your kids end up morbidly obese with diabetes and heart disease, I sincerely hope that someone alerts cops and social workers to the hazardous, abusive diet you've imposed.

Bob, Des Moines,

Arthur from Newcastle-

In the American case, there was evidence that the parents intended to starve the child to death, then used the vegan diet as an excuse. I don't know about the Londoners.

AJ Schu, St. Paul, USA

There are ways for people to get all the nutrition they need through a strictly vegan diet. With that said, nutrition is something that they have to be very careful about. The girl isn't ill because her parents are vegan, she's ill because her parents are stupid. Personally, I like cheeseburgers.

Marty Ward, Tampa, USA

The penultimate paragraph caught my attention, particularly:
American vegan couple...life sentence...starving their...baby to death...Two vegans from west London...three years' community rehabilitation...starving their baby to death.

Slight difference in attitudes towards sentencing policy, hmmm!!!

Andy, Vantaa, Finland

Vegans/ vegetarians may well be more generally healthy than obese meat eaters but that does not excuse even a "sample of one" child dying. I thought I would have to start eating meat when I became gluten intolerant but as an adult I could make the choice and it's worked fine.

diana, derby,

Aggressively ridiculing veganism can be counter productive. Asking parents to explain how they ensure their child is healthily fed allows dialogue and a chance for them to pick up on dangers they didn't know about - vitamin D can come from non meat/ fish sources.

diana, derby,

I was vegetarian before my children were born and BSE was an issue then so they did not eat meat at first. It was my responsibility to ensure that they had a wide enough diet to prevent harm. When they were older they chose to eat meat - fine, they are not my property, just my responsibility.

diana, derby,

Did the vegan parents get proper breastfeeding advice? When the nurse visited just after the birth of my breastfed newborn son, she commented that he was putting on weight well not like with "these vegetarian mothers who try to breastfeed". I am and was vegetarian!

diana, derby,

"In America, you get life in prison for killing someone, in england, you get slapped on the wrist. Proud to be British I am."

Arthur, Newcastle,

In America you get life for J walking, smoking a joint, get labled a sex offender for urinating in the bushes outside the pub ...

Garry , London,

The fact is, humans are not herbivores. Vegan diets are not normal to our species and are dangerous if not very well regulated. Children also have different nutritional requirements than adults. If parents do not follow the minimal requirements for their children's diets they are abusing the kids.

Tim Erickson, Corpus Christi, TX, USA

Why has this not been referred to Social Services? By all means let the parents harm themselves by following a dubious diet, but that does not give them the right to harm their children by imposing the same on them.

Inéz L Collier, Epping, England

Breast milk is the most important part of an infant diet, and anyone who claims it "isn't vegan" is sadly ignorant.

Raising a child as a vegan is not, by itself an act of abuse. It does require that the parents know what they're doing, and in this case they deserve to be held accountable.

steve, Perth, Scotland

The only life a person has the right to endanger in the name of ethics is their own. People may believe whatever they like, but believe will not change certain amounts of certain proteins, vitamins, and basic chemicals that the human body needs, particularly during the period of physical growth.

Julian, Bryan, Texas, United States

I'm genuinely puzzled. Re the very young babies - am I missing something? Surely Vegans can't have anything against breast milk or is breast milk produced on a vegan diet lacking in sufficient nutrition?

Lou, Brighton, UK

babies are not born Vegan, breast milk comes from an animal, the babys' mother.

suzyn, colchester, UK

What is making this headline is one child with vitamin D deficiency. A sample of one. What would be interesting would be a sample of a thousand kids brought up as vegans. How much healthier are they than the countless children brought up on carry outs and processed food.?

Mary Johnston, Glasgow, Scotland

If meat eaters believe that stuffing their kids with meat and dairy is the only way then they are welcome to do it. If vegans believe that meat and dairy are unhealthy why would they give that to their offspring? There is nothing scientific about this case.

Johannes, Finland,

How strange that dietary beliefs resulting in problems face police prosecution, yet religious beliefs resulting in terror, discrimination, harship, sorrow, alienation and persecution don't.

Laura Roberts, London, United Kingdom

The skin makes its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight and this is the main source of vitamin D. Many of the 15-20% of adults in the UK with vitamin D deficiency have become so because they do not spend enough time outside, not due to diet, since dietary sources are rare anyway.

Sophie, Wareham, Dorset

In America, you get life in prison for killing someone, in england, you get slapped on the wrist. Proud to be British I am.

Arthur, Newcastle,

Dangerous ground. Most vegans may be regarded as a little strange but not criminals: yet if their choice is harming their offspring then they must be treated as such.

john, Trier, Germany

Poor little victims of the ME generation of parents - as in, MY principles, MY children, MY image of success. 25 Snow Whites is the hilarious (if a little creepy) side of the MY-perfect-child-as-an extension-of-ME syndrome. Locked in a cellar, trapped in dietary purgatory - these are the tragedies

Angela, Epping, Australia

These parents need to be told they are killing their children. If you want to be a vegan that's fine - but don't impose it on other people - especially those who can't fight back. I know someone who is a vegetarin & who feeds her teenage children a normal balanced diet - this is what should happen

Jill, Boston, UK