“It is sad that under this government, the value system in science is being eroded,” a group of prominent paediatricians, who are strongly opposed to the new government guidelines on nutrition, was critical in their comment, Planet TV reported. Namely, the government of Robert Golob wants to impose a vegan diet with food supplements on children by any means necessary. Given that this is a demonstrably harmful way of eating, the consequences of which are detrimental to children’s development, the only explanation for such “instructions” can be found in the fact that the Prime Minister’s partner, Tina Gaber, a sworn vegan, was once again involved in the decision-making process.
The fact that the Prime Minister’s companion is a “militant vegan,” and that it has long seemed as if she is the one who is actually running the country, does not make it all that surprising that the government would like to impose a certain way of eating on people by any means necessary. And they are doing this even in spite of the fact that the vegan diet has been proven to be harmful and is strongly opposed by a group of eminent paediatricians.
Before the elections, the members of the current government were solemnly claiming that the profession would have the final say in all of their decisions. However, it has been shown time and again that these were merely empty promises, and things are no different in the case of the creation of the Strategic Council for Nutrition, which proposed that children in kindergartens and schools should have the option of a plant-based or vegan menu. An article published in a peer-reviewed journal called Nutrience argues the government’s position that a well-designed vegan diet can be healthy and support normal growth and development of a child if it is carefully planned, i.e. if the children are taking food supplements and have dietetic supervision.
However, this proposal is strongly opposed by prominent paediatricians who argue that the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) does not support vegan diets in educational institutions. “It is sad that under this government, the value system in science is being eroded,” they were critical.
Vegan diets cause developmental harm to children
Children who eat a vegan diet have an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies. They are mostly deficient in vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D and iron, according to the University of South Australia. According to one study (available here: https://www.unisa.edu.au/unisanews/2021/july/story3#:~:text=They%20were%20more%20likely%20to,average%203cm%20shorter%20in%20height), children who ate a vegan diet had a 5 percent lower mineral content in their bones and were on average 3 centimetres shorter than their peers. This is important because higher bone mineral content is associated with higher bone mineral density. This 5 percent difference is worrying because individuals at this age have a limited period in which to optimise bone mineral density. Adequate bone mass is reached by about 20 years of age. Lower bone density is associated with a higher fracture risk in later life. Experts warn that it would be unethical to put children on a diet that could adversely affect their growth and lead to risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This is just one of the studies that show the negative aspects of depriving children of an important and nutritious food source, but this does not seem to bother the current authorities. The reaction to the idea of offering a vegan diet in schools has also been strong on the social network X.
“Contrary to the Golob Government’s Nutrition Council™, FACTUAL science shows that children on a vegan diet are, on average, 4 centimetres smaller and weaker than their peers and have lower bone density. Let’s protect children from the dangerous ideological frenzy of some adults!” wrote a user on the X network, posting one of the many studies warning of the negative consequences of this way of eating (available here: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/723).
“If they are crazy and psychopathic, let them be that to themselves. But under no circumstances should we allow them to impose their pathological madness on us. This really must be resisted,” wrote journalist Vinko Vasle.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, brittle bones and poor cognitive ability
Some important nutrients for the brain, such as creatine, carnosine, taurine, omega 3, iron and vitamins B12 and D3, are, of course, only found in animal sources, notes the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI – https://www.ilri.org/). Although these nutrients can be synthesised or obtained from plant sources, they are often only present in small amounts in a vegan diet. Firstly, you should eat about five cups of potatoes to get enough vitamin B6 for your daily intake. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause serious developmental problems in children and is associated with lower intelligence quotient and brain shrinkage in adults. Iron is essential for brain development, and vegans are more likely to suffer from anaemia due to iron deficiency.
Other common deficiencies of vegan diets are related to vitamin D3, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, folate and iodine. Choline, which is abundant in eggs, beef and seafood, is also important for cognitive development. Vegans therefore often need to resort to dietary supplements to meet their needs for these nutrients.
Who decides on a child’s health?
By now, the whole of Slovenia knows that Tina Gaber is vegan and that even her master’s thesis, in which she links meat consumption with sexism and racism, was “vegan”. Many were initially surprised by Prime Minister Robert Golob’s commitment to eating less meat, but everything we have seen and heard can be linked back to Tina Gaber. She is not only a vegetarian, but a vegan, who even “reduced” humans to the level of animals in her master’s thesis.
For her, we are just another species of ‘sentient animals’, many of whom we discriminate against. All of this is obviously based on her views and not on facts based on scientific knowledge. We have the professionals to deal with such topics, but this fact seems to have been overlooked by the Gaber government. No matter the cost.
A. H.
