What Do Polish Parents and Caregivers Think ofDietary Supplements for Children Aged 3-12?

Use of Dietary Supplements and Influencing Factors in Children

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, the use of dietary supplements has increased in all age groups. Parents may also use these supplements for their children for different reasons. This study aims to determine the use of dietary supplements by children, the factors affecting this use, and the attitudes of parents about these products.

METHODS

A total of 1038 children aged 2-18 years without any chronic disease who presented to the pediatric outpatient clinics of Ege University Children's Hospital were included in this study. Parents (n = 1000) who agreed to participate in the study were interviewed face-to-face, and a comprehensive questionnaire including questions about children's use of dietary supplements, sociodemographic characteristics, and parents' attitudes towards dietary supplements was administered. Analyses were performed with SPSS 25.0.

RESULTS

The mean age of the children included in our study was 8.6 ± 4.8 years, and 51% (n = 510) were male. It was found that 32.5% of the children used nutritional supplements, and vitamin-mineral preparations (23.2%) were the most frequently used. Omega-3 (19.3%) and immune support products (9.4%) were the second and third most frequently used supplements, respectively. A significant relationship was found between the use of dietary supplements and the child's age, body weight, body mass index, parents' educational level, being health worker, and economic status (p < 0.05). It was found that most of the families thought that vitamin-mineral and omega-3 products were beneficial for growth and development and that they received information from doctors most frequently before taking these products. However, it was found that families followed the media as the second most frequent source of information for these products.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of the children in our study use dietary supplements. It is very important to raise awareness among families about the use of these products when necessary and with the recommendation of a physician. To prevent families from using dietary supplements that are not necessary for their children, especially due to misinformation in the media, pediatricians should provide correct information to parents about these products at every clinic visit. A concerted effort is needed from policy makers, media organizations, and health care providers to guide the safe use of DS. The results obtained from this study will shed light on future randomized controlled prospective studies.

Use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents

OBJECTIVES

Narrative review evaluating the use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents.

DATA SOURCE

The terms "dietary supplements", "children" and "adolescents" were used in combination in the PubMed, MEDLINE, and SciELO databases, between 2000 and 2023, evaluating studies in humans, published in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents has increased in recent decades. The most commonly used supplements are vitamins, minerals, trace elements, proteins, amino acids, melatonin, fatty acids, probiotics and energy drinks.

CONCLUSION

Despite having specific indications, most of the time they are not prescribed by a healthcare professional. The reasons for use are varied. In children, the main reasons are protection against infections, stimulating growth, and poor food intake, with multivitamins and minerals being the most commonly used supplements. In adolescents, they are used to improve athletic performance and attain the "ideal body", with proteins and amino acids being the most often used nutrients. As they are not regulated by health agencies and are sold without a prescription, their unsupervised use can lead to inadequate doses, with inefficiency or overdose risk. As for compounding formulations, or when available in preparations with multiple nutrients, the chance of errors increases. It is essential that pediatricians advise parents and patients about the indications, risks and benefits, prescribing them when necessary.

Dietary Supplements among Children Ages 0-3 Years in Poland-Are They Necessary?

(1) Background: One of the ways to prevent nutritional deficiencies may be supplementation. Experts have observed the increased use of dietary supplements, not only in adults but also in children. Considering controversies among dietary supplements and possible errors in children's feeding, the goal of our research was to evaluate use and reasons behind supplementation in terms of children's diet analysis. (2) Methods: Our research involved 507 legal guardians of the youngest children (up to 3 years of age) and was conducted via a questionnaire. (3) Results: 79% of all children received dietary supplements. The analysis of children's diets showed a need to implement omega-3 acids and vitamin D supplementation, which was very low in children. On the other hand, vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin A, and copper levels were extremely high. (4) Conclusions: Popularity of dietary supplements in Polish children aged 0-3 years old is an omnipresent issue. Although the reasoning behind administering nutritional supplements to children seems justified, considering the supply of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids, it seems justified to increase parents' knowledge in this regard in terms of the use and means to choose the best supplement possible, as dietary supplementation should always be tailored to individual needs.

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing the Use of Dietary Supplements by Schoolchildren from Małopolska Voivodship (Southern Poland)

The use of regular supplementation may be important in alleviating the potential effects of specific nutrient deficiencies. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the socio-economic and lifestyle factors influencing the administration of dietary supplements to schoolchildren from the Małopolskie voivodship. The study was conducted in March-June 2018 on 332 healthy children and adolescents (187 boys, 145 girls) aged 7-14 from the city and municipality of Niepołomice and the city of Kraków. The mean age of the subjects was 10.35 + 1.64 years. In order to assess their diet, a questionnaire was completed, by the parents or the child, on the frequency of consumption of specific products and foods (Food Frequency Questionnaire, FFQ) with added questions on the supplements provided. In assessing nutritional status, basic anthropometric measurements were taken and the BMI index was analysed. To check which factors influenced the use of supplements among respondents, the odds ratio (OR) was calculated. Approximately one-third of the total number of subjects (33.8%) took dietary supplements, most often supplements containing vitamins D and C, followed by multivitamin supplements and omega-3 fatty acids. The least common supplements contained calcium and iron. Dietary supplement intake was significantly higher among children living in rural areas compared to city areas (39.3% vs. 26.5% of respondents; p = 0.0150), and among boys compared to girls (37.3% vs. 27.8%; p = 0.048). It was observed that children more often received dietary supplements in multigenerational families and in families where at least one parent did not work. This is related to the place of residence of the respondent. Awareness of the need for, and the safe use of, dietary supplements is necessary among parents of children and adolescents.