Raw Fruitarian Diet for a Child

[Rawfruitarian]

I have a friend who feeds their child a raw fruitarian diet, they feed the child only raw fruit (a mixed of various fruits) and different type of nuts. The child is quite small for their age, but they explain this as one of them was very small as a child and that the child takes after that parent. The child was fed this diet from birth and he was breastfed until around 3 years old. Apart from being small, the child seems to be developing fine, in speech etc..
Is this considered child abuse? I have tried to talk to my friend, but they do not even want to engage in the subject, they do believe that this diet is the best and they (the adults) mainly follow it too, which a few exceptions here and there (as in they will rarely have some cooked food). Is there anything I can do or should I stay out of it?

Yes, it's abuse.
She needs reporting

The child might seem to be developing fine at the moment, but that doesn't mean there won't be health problems later on.
All children need a balanced diet, and to deny them this is, in my opinion, abuse and it needs to be reported to social services.

Yes abuse, that's just insane

I agree. No way a child can live on just nuts and fruit. Disgraceful

Im a vegan, raising two kids vegan and absolutely no way is raising them on just fruit and nuts healthy. There's is so much more they need. They need educating.

The child had an operation recently and I do not think the doctors had any concerns. It was a dentist if it helps, do they not have a duty of care to report?

It may not have been completely disclosed to the health professionals.

This is obviously not OK and confirmed by googling anything other than extreme alternative lifestyle sites.

Unless your friend and child are gorillas this needs reporting.

Is the child at school?

I’m not sure who I would tell. Social Services? Seek advice from the NSPCC?

Honestly this is abuse, it's neglect at the very least, they are neglecting to give their child adequate nutrition. Something needs to be done. I'm vegan and I'm raising my dd vegan but she is well nourished and I tick off all nutrition groups with each meal every day.

Fed this diet from birth?!

my son has an earring disorder (arfid) which presents for him as his main foods -90% of his oral intake - being from fruit and salad items. It’s not enough to sustain him so he is tube fed to get enough nutrients and calories.

to purposely restrict a child’s diet to that extent is very concerning.

I’m intrigued as to what they’re missing in the diet and how long it would take to impact growth. In theory things being “raw” doesn’t make them harmful but I have no idea what you would be eating.

It's so worrying; the child may well not have enough of any of the food groups or vitamins or minerals or enough calories. I don't know if it is connected but I knew a man years ago who ate a macrobiotic diet and got really bad kidney stones. He ate no cooked foot at all, no meat/fish etc and was really quite unwell. I think you need to tell someone ; child protective services/NSPCC just to ensure that the child is medically checked over.

@Ohthatsabitshit I think any diet that was restricted to only 2 food groups would not be good in the long term. I’ve known a few people call themselves fruyarian but they did eat small amounts of grains etc too.

Protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B (including vitamin B12) and D, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids - for starters.

And probably calories . It has long been known that kids fed very high fibre whole food veggie diets lack calories because they simply can’t eat enough (due to bulk) to meet the needs of a growing body.

Abuse 😭

Not milk? From birth?

It’s hard to say. Does the child have healthy looking skin

The child was breastfed for 3 years.

This is definitely nutritional neglect. How old is the child now? Poor growth, health and development might not be evident now but will start to show in years to come.

@MarshyMcMarshFace i think those are available in fruit and nuts though?

report to social services - today

LOL

Children have died on such an extreme diet. It’s wholly unsuitable for children:

Died

Another example

Not good for adults either

Yes, the child is underweight, has poor muscle growth and potential kidney and heart problems, but their skin is lovely 🙄 WTAF!