Ok, I admit, this piece was stimulated by a news article, not a peer-reviewed paper. My ire was raised when I read the Australian Herald Sun headline: “Experts fear popping vitamins may corrupt kid’s dietary habits into adulthood.”
 
Here are some direct quotes:
 
“Sales of children’s vitamin pills soared 20 per cent in the past year to $10 million, a new study reveals.”
 
“And the sales leap comes at a time when government research shows only one fifth of children aged 4-8 is eating the recommended daily serves of vegetables.”
 
“Nutritionists fear the surge in kiddie vitamins is sending the wrong message about healthy eating habits.”
 
The problem is not unique to Australia. Research shows, globally, few children consume recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are important sources of micronutrients, essential for children to grow and develop.
 
I am a BIG believer in choosing healthy foods. I agree with nutritionist Rosemary Stanton that parents can do more to educate their children on healthier eating habits. But I don’t think it’s right for children to be malnourished when it can take years to educate and reform their parents and caregivers. It is also misleading to suggest that growth in dietary supplement sales over the past year contributes to current fruit and vegetable consumption patterns.
 
The unfortunate reality is that too many people choose not to eat fruits and vegetables. The concept of eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily has been in place since the 1990 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Similar versions have been activated in many countries.
 
A survey of 10-12 year-olds in Norway between 2001 and 2008 reported decreased intake (p<0.01) in adolescents with parents having lower educational levels. The good news is that intake increased in children with more educated parents. Yes, it increased from 14.8 to 15.0 times per week. An increase of 0.2 servings per day is barely success. Data from U.S. adults show significant decreases in fruit consumption between 2000 and 2009 and no change in vegetable intake.

Similar declines in fruit and vegetable consumption are seen in the 2000 to 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for adults. Only four states showed improvements in fruit consumption. A systematic review of 27 school-based programs involving 26,361 children found a net improvement of 0.24 portions of fruit and no effect on vegetable intake.

Research published by the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health shows that nutrient intake from foods does NOT differ between children using dietary supplements and those that don’t. Second, inadequate micronutrient intakes are more prevalent among children who don’t use dietary supplements than those who do. In other words, taking a vitamin supplement does not corrupt a child’s eating pattern. It helps ensure nutrient adequacy.
 
We need to encourage children (and adults) to consume more fruits and vegetables. It is the right thing to do for many reasons. However, we should also embrace ‘Life…supplemented’ to promote wellness through the three pillars of health: healthy diet, dietary supplements and exercise. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet. They are part of a healthy lifestyle. Rather than berating parents or using scare tactics, health professionals should embrace age-specific multivitamin use to ensure that children get nutrients essential for their growth and development.
 
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The ideas and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect views held by Nutraceuticals World.