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Chouraqui JP, Turck D, Briend A, Darmaun D, Bocquet A, Feillet F, Frelut ML, Girardet JP, Guimber D, Hankard R, Lapillonne A, Peretti N, Roze JC, Siméoni U, Dupont C. Religious dietary rules and their potential nutritional and health consequences. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 50:12-26. [PMID: 33207368 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The vast majority of the world population declares affiliation to a religion, predominantly Christianity and Islam. Many religions have special dietary rules, which may be more or less strictly adhered to. METHODS Religious food rules were collected from holy books and religious websites as well as their translation into dietary practices. The literature was searched for potential associations between these rules and potential nutritional consequences. RESULTS Jewish, Islamic and Indian religions support prolonged breastfeeding. Religious avoidance of alcohol is probably beneficial to health. When strictly applied, a few rules may lead to nutritional inadequacies, mainly in populations living in unfavourable socio-economic or environmental conditions. In Jewish and Muslim observants, animal slaughtering procedures may increase the risk of iron deficiency. Jews may be at risk of excess sodium intake related to home-prepared foods. A vegan diet, as observed by some believers, often by drifting from original precepts, or by some Hindus or Buddhists, may result in vitamin B12, calcium, iron, zinc, selenium and n-3 fatty acids deficiencies. CONCLUSION When implemented in accordance with the rules, most religious food precepts are not detrimental to health, as suggested by the fact that they have more or less been followed for millennia. Nevertheless, some practices may lead to nutritional inadequacies, such as iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 deficiencies. Patients with low socio-economic status, children and women of childbearing age are of particular risk of such deficiencies. Being aware of them should help health professionals to take an individualized approach to decide whether to supplement or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Chouraqui
- Pediatric Nutrition and Gastroenterology Unit, Division of Pediatrics, Woman, Mother and Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Turck
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Lille University Jeanne de Flandre Children's Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lille; INFINITE-INSERM U1286, Lille, France
| | - André Briend
- Institut de Recherche Pour le Développement, Marseille, France
| | | | - Alain Bocquet
- French Association of Ambulatory Paediatrics, Orléans, France
| | | | | | - Jean-Philippe Girardet
- Cabinet de Pédiatrie, 81000 Albi, Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, University 75005, Paris, France
| | - Dominique Guimber
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, Lille University Jeanne de Flandre Children's Hospital and Faculty of Medicine, University of Lille, Lille, France
| | | | - Alexandre Lapillonne
- Paris Descartes University, APHP Necker-Enfants Malades Hospital, Paris, France and CNRC, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Noel Peretti
- Pediatric Nutrition, University Pediatric Hospital of Lyon and INSERM U1060, CarMeN laboratory, Claude Bernard Lyon-1 University, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Roze
- Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Univesity Hospital of Nantes and UMR 1280 INRA, Nantes University, France
| | - Umberto Siméoni
- Division of Pediatrics and DOHaD Lab, Woman, Mother and Child Department, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Dupont
- Pediatric Gastroenterology Department, Necker Enfants-Malades Hospital, Paris Descartes University, Paris, France
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