The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on vegetarian diets that concludes such diets, if well-planned, are healthful and nutritious for adults, infants, children and adolescents and can help prevent and treat chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.

    ADA's position, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, represents the Association's official stance on vegetarian diets:

    "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and for athletes."

    ADA's position and accompanying paper were written by Winston Craig, PhD, MPH, RD, professor and chair of the department of nutrition and wellness at Andrews University; and Reed Mangels, PhD, RD, nutrition advisor at the Vegetarian Resource Group, Baltimore, Md.

    The revised position paper incorporates new topics and additional information on key nutrients for vegetarians, vegetarian diets in the life cycle and the use of vegetarian diets in prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. "Vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle," according to ADA's position. "There are many reasons for the rising interest in vegetarian diets. The number of vegetarians in the United States is expected to increase over the next decade."

    Vegetarian diets are often associated with health advantages including lower blood cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure levels and lower risk of hypertension and type 2 diabetes, according to ADA's position. "Vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and have higher levels of dietary fiber, magnesium and potassium, vitamins C and E, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids and other phytochemicals. These nutritional differences may explain some of the health advantages of those following a varied, balanced vegetarian diet."

    The position paper draws on results from ADA's evidence analysis process and information from the ADA Evidence Analysis Library to show vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. Additionally, an evidence-based review showed a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease.

    A section in ADA's paper on vegetarian diets and cancer has been significantly expanded to provide details on cancer-protective factors in vegetarian diets. An expanded section on osteoporosis includes roles of fruits, vegetables, soy products, protein, calcium, vitamins D and K and potassium in bone health. "Registered dietitians can provide information about key nutrients, modify vegetarian diets to meet the needs of those with dietary restrictions due to disease or allergies and supply guidelines to meet needs of clients in different areas of the life cycle," the authors said.

    美國飲食協會在最新立場文件中公布：如果能很好的安排膳食結構，素食對成人、嬰兒、孩子以及青少年都是健康而富有營養的，還可以防治慢性疾病，例如心臟病、癌癥、肥胖以及糖尿病。

    在七月的美國飲食協會雜志中發布的美國飲食協會立場，代表了該協會對素食的官方立場：

    "美國飲食協會的立場是：合理搭配的素食飲食，包括完全素食以及素食飲食，是健康并營養均衡的，還可以防治一些疾病。安排得當的素食飲食適合于生命周期的任何階段：孕期、哺乳期、嬰兒期、兒童期、青少年期以及運動員。"

    美國飲食協會立場的作者有：Winston Craig,博士，公共衛生學碩士，研究學博士，安德魯大學營養健康系教授以及主任；以及Reed Mangels,博士，研究學博士，巴爾迪麼素食資源組營養顧問。修訂后的立場文件納入了新的話題以及更多防治慢性疾病的信息。"素食飲食可以適用于所有的生命周期，"美國飲食立場報道說，"不斷興起的素食飲食熱潮是有原因的，未來十年內，美國的素食主義者將增加。"

    根據美國飲食協會立場，素食飲有眾多益處：低膽固醇、較小的心臟病發病率、較低的血壓水平、高血壓患病率較低，以及較低的2型糖尿病發病率。"素食主義者的身體質量指數一般較低，患癌癥的幾率也比較低。素食飲食的飽和脂肪以及膽固醇含量較低，但是富含膳食纖維、錳鉀、維他命C和E、葉酸，類胡蘿卜素，黃酮類化合物和其他植物化學物質。這些營養差異可以解釋那些遵循多樣化、均衡素食飲食的人享有健康優勢的原因。"

    源自美國飲食協會證據分析庫的分析過程和信息的立場文件的結果，顯示了孕期進行素食飲食不但營養均衡還可以保證母嬰的身體健康。另外，一份證據調查顯示，素食飲食可以降低缺鐵性心臟病的發病率。

    美國飲食協會的文件開辟了素食飲食與癌癥專欄，詳細講述素食飲食具有的防癌因素。骨質疏松癥專欄詳細報道包括：水果、蔬菜、豆類制品、蛋白質、鈣、維他命D和K以及鉀對骨頭健康的重要作用。"注冊的飲食專家可以提提供關鍵營養元素的信息，改善素食飲食以滿足那些因為疾病或過敏有飲食禁忌的人群的需要，同時為不同生命周期的咨詢者提供指導，"作者說。