A GLASGOW girl who was fed berries and nuts by her vegan parents has been admitted to a city hospital with rickets.
Experts said the 12-year-old had the spine of an 80-year-old that was prompted by lack of vital vitamins.
The youngster, who has not been named, was admitted to Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Sick Children with the bone-destroying disease.
advertisementAnd she has already suffered a number of broken bones prompted by lack of vitamin D which is found in liver, dairy produce and oily fish.
It emerged today she was fed none of these since birth because vegans don't eat animal products.
Specialists at the Yorkhill hospital are coming under increasing pressure to report her parents to authorities.
But Dr Faisal Ahmed, who is looking after the girl, said: "We shouldn't name and shame the parents. Mum feels guilty and the whole thing just feels bad."
Bill Aitken, Tory justice spokesman, said: "If the girl has come to clinical harm something must be done."
The Vegan Society, which has 250,000 members also said the girl's parents must take responsibility.
A spokesman added: "I would suggest it is not the vegan diet itself that is to blame - but the parents".
Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS refused to comment.
In addition to diet, a lack of sunlight is also responsible for a lack of vitamin D.
Experts slammed parents who impose their strict eating regimes on children.
Professor Tom Sanders, head of nutrition at King's College in London, said: "Some of them think we can live on fruit and nuts."
In 2001, vegans Hazmik and Garabet Manuaelyan of Middlesex, admitted starving their 10-month-old daughter Arenai to death.
She had been fed nothing but breast milk, raw fruit, vegetables and nuts. Her parents were sentenced to three years' community rehabilitation.