The following article from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette takes a heartening look at young people's food choices, but occasionally falls into the same traps as many non-progressive food nutritionists when warning about adequate protein and calcium intakes. Even conservative medical investigators no longer deny the connection between excess protein and osteoporosis; animal protein in particular is a major contributor to calcium loss. It has long been known, and a number of scientific studies have demonstrated that regular consumption of animal protein results in consistent calcium loss in urine [See _Everything you always wanted to know about Nutrition_, D. Reuben, 1978; and "An Analysis of Past and Present Recommended Dietary Allowance for Protein in Health and Diesase" in the _New England Journal of Medicine_, Jan. 22, 1976]. Eating dairy products to compensate for the loss simply doesn't do the trick for a meat-eater, whose animal protein consumption literally cancels out any calcium benefits. When meat consumption is eliminated, chowing down on dairy still can have alarming consequences: the amount of fat and cholesterol contained in milk, cheese and eggs gravely contributes to the risk of heart disease. It's smarter and healthier to look for calcium from plant sources. Dr. John MacDougall, a leading nutritionist, has this to say: "An important fact to remember is that all natural diets, including purely vegetarian diets without a hint of dairy products, contain amounts of calcium that are above the threshold for meeting your nutritional needs . . . .In fact, calcium deficiency caused by an insufficient amount of calcium in the diet is not known to occur in humans." Another thing to keep in mind is this: if you choose a vegetarian diet for humane reasons, remember that most of the milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream that we consume comes from cows confined on factory farms where conditions are nothing short of those found in concentration camps. --Katharine English --------------------------- WHEN TEENS GO THE VEGETARIAN ROUTE 3/23/95 By CAROL O'SULLIVAN Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ''Would you like fries with that?'' This may be the question American teens hear most often, but a growing number of them are skipping the double burger altogether and opting for salads with their fries. All age groups are backing away from meat. But where adults often cut down on meat because of health concerns, teens often are motivated by different reasons, says Lorraine Asturino, president of the Pittsburgh Vegetarian Society. Sally Clinton, founder of the Vegetarian Education Network and editor-publisher of ''How On Earth!'' a newsletter for and by teen-age vegetarians, says concern for animals is the primary reason teens say they give up meat. ''It's really an issue that moves them,'' she says. Other ethical concerns, Clinton says, including environmental and global issues, also mobilize teens. By taking control of what they eat, Clinton says, a young person feels empowered to make a difference in the world -- often for the first time. Some teens come from families whose religious beliefs (Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist) embrace vegetarian diets. Health, however, is toward the bottom of the list of reasons why teens don't eat meat, Clinton says. ''They aren't too concerned about heart disease at that age.'' Amy Cottrill, 15, a sophomore at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh, says she became a vegetarian five years ago, ''when I realized what I was eating was animals.'' She has since become active in animal-rights groups, even forming a club at school. Jacob Zack, 16, has been a vegetarian for about six months and decided to give up meat after a talk with Cottrill, a classmate. Looking at a pamphlet with graphic photos of animals in a meat-processing facility convinced him to take a stand, Zack says. So far he's been able to stick with it. So what do teenage vegetarians eat? Things that begin with ''p'' seem to be favorites: pizza, pasta, peanut butter and potatoes. Although Zack likes pasta for dinner, he says he skips breakfast and lunch. ''I don't care about my health,'' he says, admitting that he's lost 17 pounds since going vegetarian. ''I just care about the animals.'' All too frequently, nutritionists say, teens (vegetarian or not) are more interested in quickly filling their bellies than getting nutrients in their bodies. School lunches can be particularly challenging. Many young vegetarians pack their lunches rather than deal with inadequate cafeteria choices. But Andrew Haridis, 15, a sophomore at the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in Pittsburgh, says he buys his lunch because he doesn't have time to make it. He prefers salads and yogurt but admits to the occasional lunch of chips, chocolate cakes and soda pop. ''I don't generally go down the junk food path unless there's absolutely nothing else,'' he says. ''Health food'' advocates and vegetarians have criticized school lunches for years, partly because, Clinton says, the same government agency (the U.S. Department of Agriculture) regulates the animal industry and the school lunch program. Reform has been slow, but there has been some movement in the past five years. The biggest change occurred in 1990 with the introduction of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, as well as recommendations for schools to decrease fat in lunches to no more than 30 percent. Now under consideration is a proposal to begin ''nutrition-based menu planning'' (or NBMP) for schools, rather than one based on food groups. Ginny Diehl, director of food services in the Franklin Regional School District in Pittsburgh, says thousands of food service directors across the nation are evaluating NBMP. Diehl balks at what she sees as the ''trendiness'' of teens -- girls in particular -- who become vegetarian while turning their noses up at alternate sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. ''Iceberg lettuce and carrots won't do it,'' says Diehl, ''and you'll find most kids won't eat beans or tofu.'' Like many health professionals, Diehl says a nutritionally sound vegetarian diet can be safe for teens as long as it doesn't eliminate essentials. Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and change, says Dr. Reed Mangels, nutrition consultant for the Maryland-based Vegetarian Resource Group. She says teenage vegetarians should (and often do) pay attention to what they're missing, but Mangels is quick to add that all of these nutrients -- with the exception of vitamin B12 -- can be found in vegetable sources. ''The American diet is full of protein,'' Mangels says. Chances are good that if ''always hungry'' teens are eating beans, breads, cereals, nuts, peanut butter, eggs, milk and cheese -- all easy sources of protein -- they are getting enough. Between the ages of 15 and 18, boys need 59 grams of protein a day, she says. But because they are consuming so many calories, they are bound to be getting their daily requirement of protein, even without meat, Mangels believes. Because girls' growth peaks are earlier (and approximately 80 percent of teen vegetarians are female) they require just 44 grams of protein per day in the 15-18 age group. Girls, however, must watch their iron intake once they begin menstruation. Foods rich in iron include broccoli, spinach, raisins, strawberries, watermelon and chick peas. Since vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron, Mangels recommends adding tomato or citrus juices to meals. Vegetarian girls also must be careful to get adequate amounts of calcium, which helps build bones. Some juices and soy milks are fortified with calcium for non-milk drinkers. Anita Koehler, a clinical dietitian at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, concurs. ''Sometimes (teenage) vegetarians have a better diet than those who are not.'' The most recent guidelines from the American Dietetics Association, updated in 1994, say a ''well-planned'' vegetarian diet is healthy, Koehler says. But they caution those following ''vegan or vegan-like'' diets (eating no eggs or dairy products) to be especially careful that they are getting calcium, iron, zinc and vitamins D and B12 elsewhere in their diets. Jill Lipman, a 15-year-old freshman and a vegetarian for five years, says she takes a multi-vitamin supplement. She never eats tofu, and her favorite meal is one with pasta, steamed vegetables and pierogies. But does she ever crave a Big Mac? ''I don't even remember what it tastes like,'' she says. How On Earth!, published quarterly by the nonprofit group Vegetarian Education Network, is available through subscription only. Write to How On Earth! Box 339, Oxford PA 19363, or call (717) 529-8638.
