Doctors in Belgium have stated that [raising / rising] children on a vegan diet is "unethical" and should be a [criminality / criminal] offence. Vegans refrain [from / for] consuming any animal products, [inclusive / including] meat, eggs, dairy products and other animal-derived [substantial / substances] . The Royal Academy of Medicine of Belgium has declared that [veganism / vegan] is "unsuitable for unborn children, children, teenagers, and pregnant and lactating women". Professor Georges Casimir said vegan parenting [qualifies / qualities] as "non-assistance to a person in danger," which is a criminal [defense / offence] that carries a prison sentence of up to two years. He said children need "[heighten / higher] requirements for protein and essential fatty acids" and that these [nutrients / nutritious] must be from animal products.
The animal rights group PETA reacted [angry / angrily] to the ruling of the Belgian medical [association / associate] . It rejected the ruling and called it "[ignorance / ignorant] codswallop". PETA spokeswoman Dawn Carr said: "Nutritionists [conform / confirm] that while a meat- and dairy-based diet is what strikes people down in adulthood (as it can lead to hardened [arteries / artery] that cause [strike / stroke] , brain aneurysms, and heart attacks) a well-planned vegan diet is [perfect / perfectly] for babies and children." She added: "Kids, including my own, thrive on a [balanced / balancing] vegan diet, but as with any dietary [regiment / regime] , it's the parents' responsibility to ensure their child is getting [all / whole] the necessary nutrients." Around three per cent of Belgian children live in vegan families.
