NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young vegans may be missing out on certain essential nutrients, according to a new study by Swedish scientists.

Because vegans shun all animal products, they may get too little of some nutrients found in meat and dairy products, such as calcium and vitamin B-12. Such deficiencies are of particular concern when it comes to growing teens.

In their report, Christel L. Larsson and Gunnar K. Johansson of Umea University interviewed 30 vegans between the ages of 16 and 20 about their daily food intake. They also analyzed blood and urine samples for the presence of essential nutrients. The results were compared to a similar group of omnivore--or meat- and plant-eating--adolescents.

"The dietary habits of the vegans varied considerably and did not comply with the average requirements for some essential nutrients," Larsson and Johansson write in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Specifically, the researchers report that "vegans had dietary intakes lower than the average requirements of riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium and selenium."

Even after the researchers included dietary supplements in their analysis, the vegans' intake of calcium and selenium remained low.

On the other hand, the investigators found that vegans had higher intakes of vegetables, legumes and dietary supplements.

Among the men, vegans tended to weigh less and have a lower body mass index--a ratio of weight in relation to height. There was no such difference between female vegans and omnivores, however.

"It is important for adolescents in general and vegetarians in particular to receive knowledge, both theoretical and practical, about how to combine and prepare a healthy diet," the authors conclude.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2002;76:100-106.

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