Vegan Parents' Approaches to the Nutrition of Children Aged 0-6 Years in Türkiye: In-Depth Interview Study

Objective: The aim of this study was to understand the attitudes, behaviors, and experiences of vegan parents regarding the nutrition of their children. Material and Methods: Twenty vegan parents (19 mothers, 1 father) aged 30-48 participated in this qualitative study conducted between January-February 2024. Transcripts were created after in-depth interviews. The 6 stages of the thematic analysis approach by Braun and Clarke were used in the study and the themes were determined in the MAXQDA24 software. Results: Participant statements were presented under 7 themes. It was determined that parents preferred vegan nutrition due to its positive effects on human health (f=6) and animal rights (f=12). However, they face challenges such as social prejudice, lack of vegan options in schools, and availability of alternative foods. Although all parents reported that they breastfed their babies for some time, some breastfed for less than 24 months. During the complementary feeding period, 40% of the interviewed parents applied a vegan diet to their children. Two out of three parents believe that a vegan diet does not pose any risk to their children's health. In addition, some participants mentioned a lack of resources regarding vegan nutrition for children. Conclusion: The results show that vegan individuals have different approaches to the nutrition of their children, and need nutritional counseling and scientific platforms to provide an adequate and balanced diet for their children.