SACRAMENTO, Feb 3, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Children and teens with healthier
nutrition, active lifestyles, food security and greater healthcare access are
more likely to use vitamins, researchers say.
Dr. Ulfat Shaikh of the University of California Davis School of Medicine in
Sacramento and colleagues analyzed data from 10,828 children ages 2 to 17 who
participated in the 1999 to 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey. As part of the study, parents filled out questionnaires and participated
in household interviews, and children and teens underwent medical examinations.
Supplemental vitamins are recommended only for certain groups of children,
including those with chronic diseases, eating disorders, problems absorbing
nutrients or liver disease, or obese children in weight-loss programs, Shaikh
said.
The study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found
about 34 percent of the children and adolescents had used vitamin and mineral
supplements in the past month, with underweight children having greater intakes.
"Our results supported our hypothesis that underweight children would have the
highest use of vitamin and mineral supplements," the study authors said in a
statement.
The findings indicates that children at the highest risk for deficiencies --
including those with less healthy patterns of diet and exercise, greater
obesity, lower income and food security, poorer health and less access to health
care -- may be least likely to use vitamin and mineral supplements, the study
said.
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