Assessment D: Contemporary/Emerging Dietary Trend or Regime

This document provides an assessment of contemporary/emerging dietary trend or regime, specifically focusing on the benefits and weaknesses of a vegan diet. It discusses the suitability of a vegan diet for different groups such as children, pregnant women, athletes, and obese patients. The document also highlights the positive effects of a vegan diet on weight management, cardiovascular health, and disease prevention.

Running head: ASSESSMENT D
ASSESSMENT D: CONTEMPORARY/EMERGING DIETARY TREND OR
REGIME
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1ASSESSMENT D
Response to Question 1
A vegan diet is characterised by dietary principles of veganism, where followers
abstain from the consumption of food items procured from animals such as meat, eggs, dairy,
honey and the like. A vegan diet typically consists of vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, cereals,
grains, breads and soy and legumes based foods (Radnitz, Beezhold&DiMatteo,2015). A
vegan diet has been associated with the administration of a number of health benefits in terms
of improved weight management, renal and cardiovascular functioning and reductions in high
blood sugar or arthritic pains. However, a follower of vegan diet must design an appropriate
diet plan via consultation with a nutritionist, considering the possibility of deficiencies of
calcium, iron, and Vitamin B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids (Bloomer, 2018).
Response to Question 2
Strengths
A vegan diet, being rich in plant based food products provides significant amounts of
dietary fibre in terms of both soluble and insoluble forms. A diet rich in fibre is associated
with improved satiety levels resulting in improved weight management followed by enhanced
regulation of blood sugar levels due to the high glycemic index of high fibre foods. Further,
vegan diets have also been found to provide significant amounts of micronutrients in terms of
Vitamins A, C and E, as well as folate, potassium and magnesium (Dinu et al., 2017).
Vitamin A is a natural dietary antioxidant documented to maintain healthy visual activity in
individuals. Similarly, Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant known to reduce harmful
inflammation in the body, along with maintaining optimal health of oral cavities. Folate is a
mineral responsible for formulation of red blood cells as well as synthesis of RNA and DNA.
Potassium and magnesium are minerals contributing to the regulation of heart rhythms, and
maintenance of healthy immune, boneand biochemical functioning (Flynn et al., 2017).Being

2ASSESSMENT D
a rich source of plant based fats derived from nuts seeds such as poly and mono unsaturated
fatty acids, a vegan diet may enhance cardiovascular functioning through the reduction of
harmful low density lipoprotein and improvement of healthy high density lipoprotein
cholesterol. Additional benefits include, improved weight management, reduced
susceptibility to obesity and diabetes due to enhanced sensitivity of insulin, reduced risk of
renal malfunctioning, cancer acquisition and joint pain associated with arthritis
(Castañé&Antón, 2017).
Weaknesses
A vegan diet can present deficiencies in iron, folate, calcium, Vitamin B12 and
Omega 3 fatty acids – nutrients which are readily available from animal products (Fields et
al., 2016). Prolonged deficiencies in iron and folate can result in anaemia and increased
fatigue. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can hamper activities of metabolism and the central
nervous system. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for prevention of inflammation and
maintenance of healthy cognitive and neuronal functioning. Calcium deficiency is associated
with poor bone health and increased susceptibility to fractures resulting from falls (Moll &
Davis, 2017).
 Elimination: A vegan diet contains nuts, soy and seeds which may serve cause
allergic reactions in some people. Hence, an elimination diet may be required prior to
following it, in order to detect any intolerances (Syrigou et al., 2015).
 Liver Cleansing: Vegan diets are abundant in foods such as beets, garlic, walnuts,
broccoli, apples and fermented foods, which have been known to possess liver
cleansing properties (Klein & Kiat, 2015).
 Low Carbohydrate: Vegan diets include plenty of cereal, grain, breads, pulses and
legumes. Hence, vegan diets are not necessarily low in carbohydrates (Zinn, Rush &
Johnson, 2018).

3ASSESSMENT D
 Low Fat and Low Cholesterol: Due to the avoidance of meat and presence of plant
based foods, vegan diets are rich in unsaturated and low in saturated fats and
cholesterol (Tobias et al., 2015).
 Low Kilojoule: Due to the avoidance of high fat, high energy meat products and
presence of low fat, moderate energy plant based foods, vegan diets have a lower
calorific profile then non-vegan diets (Kahathuduwa et al., 2017).
Response to Question 3
Nutritionists do not recommended the administration of highly restrictive vegan diets
to growing children. This is due to the fact that children, as compared to adults, have high
nutritional needs in terms of energy, proteins and minerals like calcium and iron, since they
belong to a rapid stage of growth and development characteristic of childhood, as evident in
their growing muscle mass, increased calcification of bones and notable increases in blood
volumes (Melina, Craig & Levin, 2016). Such high nutritional needs may be difficult to be
fulfilled by only a vegan diet and may require a large number of varied foods in terms of
fortified soy products and numerous nuts, seeds and legumes, which may further be
financially unfeasible. Further, not all children may show compliance to a vegan diet and may
also feel alienated among peer groups (Kersting et al., 2018).
Response to Question 4
It may be possible to administer a vegan diet to pregnant and lactating women.
However, pregnant and lactating women have higher nutritional needs in order to ensure
healthy growth and development of their baby. Hence, during pregnancy and lactation, vegan
women are recommended to consult a dietician do avoid deficiencies in essential nutrients
widely prevalent in diets which include animal based products, such as folate, calcium, iron
and Vitamins B12 and D (Mangels, 2018). In order to acquire enough dietary iron for the

4ASSESSMENT D
increased oxygen transport required for herself as well as the growing foetus, pregnant and
lactating women must include iron rich foods such as dried fruits such as apricots, dates and
figs, almonds, soy products, dark green leafy vegetables, pulses and fortified cereals and
grains. Sources of Vitamin B12 may be limited for vegan pregnant and lactating women, and
hence, a supplement may be required, in addition to incorporation of food such as marmite,
fortified soy and cereal products. While sunlight remains the best source of Vitamin D, a
vegan based dietary supplement may be required along with consumption of fortified
breakfast cereals (Pawlak, 2017).Vegan pregnant and lactating women can acquire their
increased calcium needs from foods such as pulses, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables,
fortified milk alternatives such as rice, oat and soy milk, tofu, almonds and dried fruits.
During lactation, vegan women may still be required to continue consumption of the above
mentioned vitamin supplements along with administration of Vitamin A, C and D
supplements to their infants, only after consultation with their nutritionist (Baroni et al.,
2019).
Response to Question 5
Older Australians who consume a vegan diet may be able to live a healthy life, but
may still need to consider their increased requirements of key nutrients. The physiological
processes of ageing is associated with loss of muscle mass and fibres, resulting in difficulties
in movement and increased stiffness, known as sarcopenia. Hence, older Australians
following a vegan diet have higher requirements of protein which they must meet through
consumption of meat alternatives such as soy, beans and legume products (Sobiecki et al.,
2016). Likewise, ageing is often associated with a loss in appetite resulting in reduced food
consumption and nutritional inadequacies which elderly vegans must mitigate through
consumption of energy dense items such as seeds, nuts and plant oils. Old age is also
associated with bone loss due to increased bone resorption as compared to bone modelling,

5ASSESSMENT D
resulting in loss of bone strength and bone density leading to weakness, reduced bone
strength, frailty and high susceptibility to fractures due to falls (Knurick et al., 2015). Hence,
elderly Australians who are vegans have high calcium needs, which they must meet through
consumption of calcium rich, dairy alternatives such as fortified soya and oat products,
almonds, dark green leafy vegetables, fortified tofu, dried fruits, beans and legumes. Elderly
Australians wishing to stick to a vegan diet may need to consult a nutritionist for an optimum
diet plan, due to their increased nutritional needs (Mangano& Tucker, 2017).
Response to Question 6
A vegan diet may prove to be beneficial for athletes. Athletes are required to engage
themselves in high intensity training, which may lead to mild suppression of their immunity
through enhancements of neutrophil and natural killer cell function further increasing the
susceptibility to pathogenic infections. However, vegan diets are documented to be rich in
antioxidants, which not only boost immune function but also reduce oxidative stress as a
result of high intensity training – hence providing vegan athletes with an increased benefit
(Wirnitzer et al., 2016). However, despite these benefits must consider their consumption of
iron, iodine, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, Vitamin D and protein – nutrients which are
lacking in a vegan diet. Omega 3 fatty acids are required to reduce the high rates of possible
inflammatory processes in athletes and hence, a vegan diet may require supplementation of
the same, or incorporation of rich sources such as flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts. Iron is
required for increased athletic requirements of oxygen transport and vegans must turn to
alternative sources such as pulses, leafy greens, legumes, dry fruits. Zinc is essential for
healthy immune functioning and hence, athletes may need to consider foods such as hemp or
pumpkin seeds (Cialdella-Kam, Kulpins & Manore, 2016). The high energy activity may lead
to muscle loss if enough protein is not consumed and hence, vegan athletes must incorporate
plenty of alternatives in the form of legumes, soy, pulses and beans. Calcium is required for

6ASSESSMENT D
maintenance of bone strengths and vegan athletes must consume plenty of alternatives such
as leafy greens, dried fruits, fortified soy products and legumes. Vegan athletes may require
Vitamin D and B12 supplementation or consume fortified cereals for healthy bone and
immune functioning (Rogerson, 2017).
Response to Question 7
For the management of patients who are obese, a vegan diet has been proven to be
effective. A vegan diet is rich in fibre which allows obese patients to manage weight by
controlling their satiety and regulating blood sugar levels (Demmer, 2016). A vegan diet has
also been found to be beneficial in reducing the susceptibility of cardiovascular diseases and
diabetes – which are key symptoms prevalent in obese patients – due to the avoidance of high
saturated fat foods and inclusion of healthy plant based foods rich in fibre. Vegan diets have
also been found to provide larger quantities of antioxidants which may be beneficial in the
reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation and susceptibility to cancer, which are detrimental
consequences of high adipose accumulation, prevalent in obese patients (Kahleova et al.,
2018).

7ASSESSMENT D
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nutrition, 56(8), 2529-2539.

8ASSESSMENT D
Kahathuduwa, C. N., Binks, M., Martin, C. K., & Dawson, J. A. (2017). Extended calorie
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9ASSESSMENT D
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10ASSESSMENT D
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