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Does low BMI prohibit becoming vegan?
Vegan Nutrition with Marty Davey
 Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com
I'm a teen vegetarian wanting to convert to veganism, but I have a low BMI of 15.9. Is it safe for me to become a vegan?
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My question is why do you have such a low BMI in the first place?
BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a calculation of your height versus your weight. A healthy BMI is 18.5 - 25. It is a number healthcare practitioners use as a guide to begin to assess a person's healthy weight status. Now, BMI does not take into account whether you are a lean muscle athlete or big/small boned person. So, to base your health status on this one number could lead to some very erroneous conclusions.
That being said, a BMI of 15.9 is extremely low. Some people are born that way. As in the case of my husband. However, even when he was a teen-ager his BMI was around 17-18. My concern is with your eating patterns and exercise routine.
Are you eating enough? Are you eating enough fats?
I don't know your height or weight, so I can't really give you a good caloric intake range. Therefore, I would suggest speaking with a registered dietitian. I am stressing that you should speak to a nutrition professional because, even though your primary care physician is a great place to start, to make sure your health is on track you need a nutrition professional.
A dietitian can help you go through your day and find out actually how your lifestyle works with your food intake. You can set up an eating plan that makes sense for you. Everyone is different, so an online diet created for working adults may have nothing to do with your school life and after school activities.
Having said that, online diet programs, such as NanoNutritionists or Sparkpeople, can give you a healthy calorie range. That is somewhere to start.
If the amount of calories suggested by these programs seems unbelievable or makes you feel that you will gain too much weight, I suggest contacting a therapist. You may be on a path to real disordered eating. I don't mean to say that because you are very thin you have an eating disorder. But again, consulting with a nutrition professional may allow you to see habits that maintain this very low BMI. Having a BMI this low can, not will, but can lead to some health issues such as increased mortality risk, loss of height and osteoporosis.
Eschewing dairy and eggs may drop your caloric intake further, but so many studies have supported the fact that dairy is not a positive influence on bone health. The amount of absorbable calcium is much higher in green leafy vegetables such as collard greens and kale and in high protein concentrate foods such as tofu and soy milk. And remember bone health is dependent on sufficient amounts of vitamin D intake and resistance exercise.
Take home message: Get thee to a healthcare professional to ensure your growth and development in on track. You just may be the next vegan leader in the making. We need you and want you to be the example of great vegan health.
Marty Davey is a Registered Dietitian and has a Masters degree in Food and Nutrition from Marywood University. She became a vegetarian in 1980 when she discovered that the chemicals in American meat made them unsellable to Europeans. She and her husband have raised their son as a vegan. She teaches nutrition and has a private practice specializing in assisting clients transitioning to a plant-based regime step by step. Her website is martydavey.com
Get your own personal nutrition consultation with Marty here.
Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.
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