Many children do not need the vitamin supplements we push at them: they are healthy enough without them
Children who were reported to be the healthiest and most active with a balanced diet, greater access to health care and higher family income were more likely to take vitamin supplements, a new study notes.
Researchers at the University of Davis in California studied more than 10,000 kids aged 1-17. The lead physician on the project said many of the children who take vitamin supplements do not appear to need them because they are receiving adequate nutrition from the foods they eat. This is great news that lots of children are eating healthy foods and not living on a diet of fast or fake foods.
Unfortunately for those children on the other end of the spectrum, those without access to healthy food choices, adequate health care, and other factors of a healthy lifestyle, the story looks different. These are the ones who could actually use vitamins to help supplement what they’re missing. But these aren’t the kids who are taking them.
One charity that is trying to ease this gap is Nourish America. Nourish America is committed to provide the daily essential nutrition that impoverished American children, families, pregnant moms, and seniors and others in need require to live productive, successful lives.
For those of us adults with a healthy diet, however, we might want to consider carefully any supplements and see if we are already getting the nutrients through our foods before we add anything processed or synthetic to our bodies.
