(Editors Note: The new articles that will come up in the Health and Fitness News section of Club Solutions Magazine Online, “Your Members Health,” will give you the opportunity to take an article and photo we’ve provided you and send it out to your members in your e-mail blasts or on your website at no charge. Just a little something extra to make your job a lot easier.)
Do most kids really need a multivitamin? The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) doesn’t have an official policy, but most experts say no.
“Children who are eating healthy diets and growing appropriately don’t need them,” said Jatinder Bhatia, MD, chairman of the AAP Committee on Nutrition in an article on Yahoo.com. However, if your child drinks less than four cups of vitamin D–fortified milk or formula daily, the AAP said they need a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU (Don’t give a vitamin D and a multivitamin or you could end up overdosing).
Most nutritionists agreed that they’d rather get kids their nutrients from food. However, if you have a picky eater that won’t eat fruits or vegetables, or only wants to eat the same foods, their exposure to nutrients will be limited. Discuss their diet with a doctor and contemplate a potential supplement.
Beware of thinking a picky eater means your child isn’t eating enough. Many kids are overweight in the U.S. and your child may be eating more than you think, but getting their calories from the wrong foods.
If you opt for a multi, make sure the bottle is labeled “complete,” which means it has the full spectrum of necessary vitamins and minerals. Always consult your doctor before giving a child a supplement.
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