December 8, 2025, 9:55 am | Read time: 3 minutes
In Europe, more and more young people are adopting vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian diets—but how common are nutrient deficiencies? A study from Sweden systematically compared different dietary patterns among 16- to 24-year-olds and examined their nutrient intake.
What was studied? A study by the University of Gothenburg, published in the European Journal of Nutrition, examined the intake of essential vitamins and minerals among adolescents and young adults in Sweden.1 A total of 235 healthy individuals aged 16 to 24 followed either a vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian (including dairy and eggs), pescatarian (including fish), or omnivorous diet.
They documented their diet over four days, completed a comprehensive questionnaire, and provided blood and urine samples. The goal was to determine whether their daily nutrient intake and measured body levels met recommendations.
Vitamin D Deficiency Particularly Evident in Vegans
Results: Regardless of diet type, all groups showed an increased risk of insufficient vitamin D and selenium intake. Specifically, the findings were as follows:
- Specific deficiencies by diet: Vegan participants had an additional high risk of inadequate vitamin A and calcium intake. Lacto-ovo-vegetarian adolescents often had insufficient vitamin B12 intake, while pescatarians showed an increased risk of low potassium intake.
- Vitamin D status and season: Blood tests confirmed a vitamin D deficiency in many participants, which was particularly pronounced in those following a vegan diet. It is important to note that data collection mostly took place during the sun-poor fall and winter months.
- Contradictory iodine levels: Iodine measurements in urine suggested a potentially inadequate intake among vegans, pescatarians, and omnivores. However, the calculated dietary intake was generally considered sufficient, indicating that these findings require further investigation.
- Positive iron and B12 levels: Blood iron levels and the actual effectiveness of vitamin B12 (measured in metabolism) were, on average, within the normal range across all dietary groups.
Significance: The study highlights that many young people in Sweden have significant nutrient deficiencies, regardless of their diet. Particularly concerning are the low levels of vitamin D and selenium.
Adolescents and young adults who follow vegan or vegetarian diets need targeted information about beneficial supplements and fortified products. Since iodine is also often lacking, further research is necessary to better assess the long-term health implications.
Although the results are not fully generalizable to the entire population due to the selection method and the high proportion of women (78 percent), the sample size was large enough to consider the observed differences between dietary groups statistically significant.
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