Study: Pregnant vegetarians 3X more likely to have kids who abuse drugs

A new study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that women who don't eat meat during pregnancy raise the risk of their children becoming hooked on drugs and alchohol.

Specifically, adolescents under 15 were almost twice as likely to drink and smoke and nearly three times as likely to use cannabis.

Researchers looked at the habits of 5,109 women and their children. The children of the women who ate meat daily during their pregnancies were compared to those whose mothers didn't eat meat at that time.

The children were born between April 1, 1991 and December 31, 1992.

Study lead author Dr. Joseph Hibbeln said that while pregnant women are often advised to reduce their red meat intake, doing so can cause nutritional deficiencies that may affect a baby's brain development.

Most vegetarians are deficient in B12 while pregnant. B12 is mainly found in meats and shellfish.

Dr. Hibbeln said: 

"Among Western populations infants of vitamin B12 deficient mothers have poor brain growth, developmental regression, irritability, thrive poorly and demonstrate residual deficits in cognitive and social development."

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