Vegetarians aren't suitable parents

[Hootenanny]

Pffft............... this was in article from the Greek Islands about a couple wishing to adopt




A VEGETARIAN couple on the Greek island of Crete has been barred from adopting a child because of doubts about their diet, a local social welfare official said today. The decision was taken because the would-be adoptive parents, who have gone to court to overturn it, eat no meat or fish and officials feared this regimen would be applied to the child as well.

"We asked the University of Crete medical school on the issue and they said the child's diet must include meat, fish, etc," the head of the city's welfare services, Spyros Epitropakis, said.

"We do not discriminate but we were obliged to check this out. The issue is now in the hands of the judicial authorities," he said.

The university expert whose recommendation was used by the welfare services to reject the application has labeled the affair "unreasonable."


"It's unreasonable not to be given the child for being vegetarian," said Antonis Kafatos, a pediatrician and nutrition researcher.

"A child needs to eat fish, seafood and dairy products among other things, without meat being essential. But if the family has no intention of imposing its diet habits on the child, I don't see where the problem is," he said.

The case is to be examined on March 16.

Greece has one of the lowest birth rates in the European Union. Strict procedures covering adoption in the country often force couples to seek other options, such as adopting children sold by migrant gangs.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/weird-true-freaky/vegetarian-couple-barred-from-adopting-in-greece/story-e6frflri-1226019462255#ixzz1GEabqTRj



I hope they look at the diets of all people who adopt then and place the same restraints on people who don't eat vegetables, live off takeaway, eat unhealthy foods etc. What a farce.

[Blairysmum]

I would much rather my child live with vegetarians then with people that eat ummm... Maccas "meat" every night... And ummm no vegetables.

[Merla]

I think someone is getting confused here, vegetarians eat dairy products, VEGANs don't eat animal products.

A lot of vegetarian diets are much healthier than omnivores diets. In countries where meat is sparse they are still very healthy.

[HeldAtRansom]

I think someone is getting confused here, vegetarians eat dairy products, VEGANs don't eat animal products.

A lot of vegetarian diets are much healthier than omnivores diets. In countries where meat is sparse they are still very healthy.

Exactly!!
DS hubby and myself are partial vego's we will eat white meat.
Some one who has done their research and isn't just following a fad knows you can give a child and an adult adequate iron, calcium, etc from vegetables, beans, chickpeas.. If anything the things that go into red meat are far more harmful than they are beneficial.
So long as the child gets to experience a varity of foods from the food groups then what's the problem

[Leisa21]

I heard this in the car this morning. It's ridiculous! We're not vegetarians but DS diet is mostly vegetarian. I can't afford to buy lots of organic meat and I don't like him eating hormone ridden meat. I only eat meat once or twice a week and DS refuses to eat chicken because he has pet chooks.

DS is one of the healthiest kids I know. He asks for salad sandwhiches every day and there's not a vegie he doesn't eat. I'm certainly not doing him harm.

[SassyMummy]

I agree that it's ridiculous to say a couple cannot adopt because they're vegetarian.

Whilst I'm unsure as to whether or not a child truly DOES need fish in their diet, I think we've got to consider that this is a Greek couple, not an Australian couple. I have no idea whether or not that impacts their ability to live a nutritionally-adequate vegetarian lifestyle. What we have available here, in Australia, is not what everyone has available in their countries, and even less so if they're in a smaller region. I suppose it would depend on whether or not many Greek people had access to products that could make up for the loss of fish-related nutrition. I do think that has to be taken into consideration.

Still, the decision sounds ridiculous. If the couple can prove that the child will be provided for nutritionally, then it shouldn't matter how those needs are met.

[RoarsomeMum]

OMFG.. When will the madness end?! :( They will return children to pedophiles but get their knickers in a knot about the POSSIBILITY of a vegetarian diet?! (one that poses no health risk whatsoever on the child) Flippin ridiculous..

[Benji]

I would've thought vegetarians make better parents - far less likely to eat their children :yes:

Anyway, I used to be soooooooooo much healthier when I was a vegan. I cared far more about health and nutrition and actually cared about what passed my lips than now that I'm an omnivore. I hope there's more to the story because that it just absurd.

[DanceInTheRain]

What?!?!?! Plain ridiculous.

[Angelmist♥]

I eat a majority vegan diet and I can guarantee I eat a lot healthier than most omnivores.

[Veritas]

How uneducated and regressive....

Besides the misinformation that children "need" seafood and dairy, it's just utterly ridiculous that a decision of that magnitude can be made on the basis of misinformation and judgement without evidence....

Gee's.... my child must be deprived then.... DD has seafood in her diet, but only because she has always been a picky eater, and whilst it is actually more varied right now, when we moved to a vego diet she wouldn't eat green veg and legumes, etc (and they are still struggle) so fish remains just as an extra for her... but if DP and I have any more kids in the years to come they'll be 100% vego.... and that will absolutely be a more than adequate diet for them....

It's insane that people can make decisions that are totally inaccurate...

[Kitten1979]

I would much rather my child live with vegetarians then with people that eat ummm... Maccas "meat" every night... And ummm no vegetables.



Exactly!!!


How many times have you seen families feed the children slop from fast food chains.

[decambla]

Seriously!!??? Ppfffttt!
Just to make another point, I didn't see it mentioned that the couple IS going to "enforce" a vegetarian diet on the child.
I'm a vegetarian, have been for about 15 years. My children are not. They had the choice. They like meat, therefore I provide it as part of a balanced nutricious diet. I'd they didn't I would still provide them with a nutricious diet :)

[trishalishous]

gee thats horrible, I agree, a veg*n diet is MUCH healthier than a supersize me diet!

[Guest]

Being a greek island, they eat alot of fish and it dominates their diet. So not eating fish (there) can be a strange concept and thus why someone questioned it. I'm not sure what sources of vegetables and foods they have, but being vegeterian in greece is actually common and people eat alot of beans and vegetables etc. meat isn't a big part of their dishes. I suppose it was one social worker who didn't know any better and maybe the whole thing was blown up into something its not? It wouldn't be the first time a reporter has done this.
But I agree its pretty ridiculous and so what if they do impose a vegetarian diet? How many kids eat unhealthy foods, or are fussy and only eat certain things. I don't see the big deal.