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Helen Lightowler: Research Fellow in Nutrition, South Bank University, London, UK
Jill Davies: Head of the Nutrition Research Centre, South Bank University, London, UK
Alan Long: Honorary Research Adviser to VEGA (Vegetarian Economy and Green Agriculture), London, UK
Limitations of the National Food Guide (NFG) (Health Education Authority, 1996) for the adherents of a strict vegetarian diet were highlighted in the September/October issue of Nutrition & Food Science (Davies and Lightowler, 1997). This issue is a matter of some concern as the British Nutrition Foundation has stated that the removal of all animal-source foods, as in the vegan diet, will increasingly require considered dietary manipulation and the use of fortified or specialist foods to ensure nutritional adequacy (British Nutrition Foundation, 1995).
Food guides, based on a food-group approach, are designed to assure a nutritionally adequate menu even when used by individuals with minimal nutrition knowledge (Mutch, 1988). Moreover, they may also be helpful as a tool for nutrition education when designed in a simple format using categories of foods easily recognised by the consumer (Mutch, 1988). The importance of arriving at a suitable scheme for vegans cannot be overstated having regard to the growing trend in strict vegetarianism (Davies and Lightowler, 1997).
Some ten years ago food guides for adult vegans were reviewed by Mutch in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Mutch, 1988). At that time few examples of dietary guides or sample menu plans were found...