To let DS age 7 go vegetarian

[letdownalittle]

I'm not personally, though I eat a minimal amount of meat. A few of his friends are vegan, though certainly not the type to challenge him on his eating habits. I presume this triggered his thoughts on animal welfare, I know he's read and thought about it quite a bit independently.

He's been refusing meat at meals on and off for months, mentioning it more and more and now decided to go veggie. I've pretty much shrugged and said fine, presumed there's little point in trying to force feed an adamant child and just put a little thought into getting all he needs in his diet.

My mum and friend were both a little horrified I've 'allowed' him. Would you allow a child of 7, who was capable of clearly expressing their reasons in response to questioning, to change their diet and have autonomy? I didn't think I was being out there... but my mum does! I think I have memories of all the clear your plate stuff and the feelings about it...

I can't say that forcing a child to eat meat they don't want to would be the hill I'd choose to die on, so I don't think you're being unreasonable at all OP. plenty of eggs, dairy, pulses etc will more than make up for the lack of meat.

Of course I'd let him. He'd likely just push the meat to one side/get upset anyway. It's not like back in the day where you could scare them into eating it with a smack ( thank god).

Please let him! And consider transitioning as well - not pressuring, but I am telling you, best decision I have ever made and no one (also veg friends) ever told me otherwise (i'm vegan though but veg is a good start)
My parents didn't let me, I was ten when it first came up. I'm from Eastern Europe, we ate meat at least twice a day but mostly with every meal. They thought vegetarianism was unhealthy. I transitioned when I moved away from home, they fully support me now and actually understand the nutritional benefits of it, even though I have been doing it for mostly ethical reasons.
You probably ran into it during research but both The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) agree that a well planned vegan or vegetarian diet is suitable for everyone at all stages of life, including infancy, childhood, pregnancy and breastfeeding. If anybody questions or judges you, mention this. (Sometimes people tell me off that why am I quoting American organisations, where do the Europeans stand at this - well at the same probably, just not releasing statements!)

Back in my home country school lunches for veggies are quite problematic, but in the UK it shouldn't be a problem. I currently live in India, here it is more common to be vegetarian, as a matter of fact, if you are a meat eater, they call you a 'non-veg'- back home it would just be something like 'normal' :) Also, whenever I say that I'm veg, everybody assumes that I have always been - it is hard to explain to them that there aren't as many completely vegetarian families back in Europe.

I've found my parenting kindred spirit!

I can't say that forcing a child to eat meat they don't want to would be the hill I'd choose to die on,

I would say let him definitely. I was younger than that when I stopped eating meat and always been healthy.
My children do eat meat although they don't eat much as they aren't too keen. I will let them decide if they wish to continue or become veggie like me.

Why do your mum and friend think you shouldn't "allow" him?

Any diet can be squeezed into unhealthy category, I agree with that. A vegan friend is reducing sugar intake and bread, because he feels that's unhealthy for him.

OP, I think it's sensible to follow the NHS link posted by Graphista, it's very supportive of vegetarians and vegans. Just as any parent does, keep an eye on his general health.

I'd like to move away from your son and mention that UK scientists are very concerned at the number of people in this country who are showing iron deficiency because of lack of meat. The Times, Saturday September 16 2017 – page 7 under Body + Soul.

Also, some veggie products (the simulating meat ones) may contain Seitan, which is 100% gluten and some people may need to be wary. The same goes for Quorn, though perhaps I ought to mention a lot of everydday bread is just as full of chemicals.

Graphista, I was blocked from opening your Harvard reference (unless I paid) but I did read the Kaiser Permanente one. Not impressed, KP are an American Health provider who has been fined millions twice for bad practice.

Although the various people cited may look impressive, many of them are evangelical vegans and can be selective their 'science'.

Esselstyn's 1985 research finished up with eighteen people and no control group, hardly science based. He believes in a whole plant based diet, certainly not vegetarian, forbidding,

“... all added oils and processed foods that contain oils, fsh, meat, fowl, dairy products, avocado, nuts, and excess salt. Patients were also asked to avoid sugary foods (sucrose, fructose, and drinks containing them, refned carbohydrates, fruit juices, syrups, and molasses). Subsequently, we also excluded cafeine and fructose… encouraged multivitamin and vitamin B12 supplements and fax seed meal,...'”

I'm not sure what he's got against avocados but I'd be worried for anyone who took up his diet.

dresselstyn.com/JFP_06307_Article1.pdf

There is plenty of UK based research (as shown by the Times article) but they don't always reflect the values of the reader. EPIC-Oxford studies are far more useful in this country. Unfortunately, access has to be through a US site.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16441942

“...studies of vegetarians have shown a moderate reduction in mortality from IHD but little difference in other major causes of death or all-cause mortality in comparison with health-conscious non-vegetarians from the same population. Studies of cancer have not shown clear differences in cancer rates between vegetarians and non-vegetarians. …

Overall, the data suggest that the health of Western vegetarians is good or similar to that of comparable non-vegetarians.”