Vitamin B12 levels in children and adolescents on plant-based diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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#child #humans #diet #diet-vegetarian #nutritional-status

Vitamin B12 levels in children and adolescents on plant-based diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Jensen et al., 2023 | Nutr Rev | Meta Analysis

Citation

Jensen Christopher F. Vitamin B12 levels in children and adolescents on plant-based diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2023-Jul-10;81(8):951-966. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuac096

Abstract

CONTEXT: The popularity of plant-based diets, characterized by a partial or complete exclusion of animal products, has increased significantly over the last 10 years. The exclusion of animal products removes the most common sources of vitamin B12, which can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency and result in irreversible damage, such as growth stunting. OBJECTIVE: This aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to qualitatively evaluate all studies on this subject and to quantify the potential difference in vitamin B12 levels in healthy children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years. DATA SOURCES: PubMed and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies investigating vitamin B12 levels in healthy children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 years on plant-based diets. DATA EXTRACTION: Studies were assessed qualitatively with the AXIS tool and quantitatively with Stata 16.0 software. DATA ANALYSIS: Overall, children and adolescents on plant-based diets had a significantly lower vitamin B12 level than omnivorous children and adolescents (-97 pmol/L; 95%CI, -187 to -7; I2 = 98.5%), a difference that remained statistically significant after adjusting for methodological confounders. After subgroup analyses, this effect was not statistically significant for children and adolescents on vegetarian diets but remained significant in children and adolescents on vegan or macrobiotic diets. Moreover, total vitamin B12 intake nullified the mean difference in vitamin B12 levels. CONCLUSION: Despite high heterogeneity across studies, these results indicate that children and adolescents on plant-based diets, especially those on vegan and macrobiotic diets, may be at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency.

Key Findings

Despite high heterogeneity across studies, these results indicate that children and adolescents on plant-based diets, especially those on vegan and macrobiotic diets, may be at risk of developing vitamin B12 deficiency.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population healthy children
Sample Size See abstract
Age Range 5 to 18 years
Condition deficiency

MeSH Terms

  • Child
  • Humans
  • Diet
  • Diet, Vegetarian
  • Nutritional Status
  • Vitamin B 12
  • Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review, Journal Article
  • Vertical: vitamin-b12-vegan

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09