One-third U.S. children take supplements

Bethesda, Md. -- More than 30 percent of U.S. children age 18 and younger take some type of dietary supplements, most often multivitamins and multiminerals, a study found.

Mary Frances Picciano of the Office of Dietary Supplements at National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., and colleagues analyzed data from the 1999 to 2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey -- a survey of 10,136 U.S. children age 18 or younger, who were given medical examinations, and their parents were interviewed.

The study, published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, found 32 percent of children had used dietary supplements in the previous 30 days, including 12 percent of infants younger than 12 months.

More non-Hispanic whites, 38 percent, and Mexican-Americans, 22 percent, used supplements than non-Hispanic black participants, 19 percent.

Supplement use was associated with higher family income, a smoke-free environment, lower body mass index in children and less daily television, video game or computer time.

Children who were underweight or at risk for being underweight were the most likely to take supplements.

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