Why vitamins are important for children
The needs of every child and their family are different, and this applies to nutritional needs too! Most of us lead busy lives, we may not have the time, ability or, dare we say it, will to cook healthy home cooked foods daily for our family. Children can be notoriously difficult too and you may be concerned that your child is not getting all of the goodness from his or her food to develop and perform at their best. it is vital that you consult your doctor before giving any vitamin, mineral or fish oil supplements to your child if he or she is taking any medication.
Firstly, let’s look at what the government recommends your children should be eating – the ‘Eat well’ plate1 applies to all children over 4 years old. Here is a check list for you – does your child fulfil these criteria EVERYDAY?
- One third of everything he / she eats is a fruit or vegetable
- 12% is meat, fish, eggs, beans or non-dairy protein
- Only 8% of total calories are from high fat and sugarfood and drinks
- Your child eats three to four servings of fruit and vegetables a day2
Does our food really contain the nutrients that it used to?
Although a complex debate, it seems that the foods that we buy from the shops nowadays have different levels of nutrients than those grown in previous generations. While the scientific papers debate what exactly is missing and whether these nutrients need to be added back into the soil artificially, it is worth noting that:
• A US study of 43 garden crops showed a significant reduction in levels of protein, Calcium, Potassium, Iron, Vitamins B2 and C)* from 1950 – 19993
• Comparison of mineral content of fruits and vegetables grown in UK (1930s vs.1980s) found that the levels of Calcium, Magnesium, Copper and Sodium were significantly reduced in vegetables and Magnesium, Iron, Copper and Potassium were significantly reduced in fruit.4
Again there is a raging debate in the science as to what exactly is contributing to these changes, here are some of the theories
• Crops are grown more intensively, and deplete the soil of nutrients
• Some are replenished by fertilisers
• New crop varieties are selected for shorter harvesting times, higher yield and NOT nutritional value
• Less time ‘in the ground’ the less time to absorb nutrients?
• 1000s of miles travel before reaching the UK supply chain, losing nutritional value on the way
• Packaging systems prolong the appearance of fresh – with unknown nutritional impact
Interesting – but the overall point is that our kids may well be getting lower levels of nutrients from the fruit and vegetables than they actually are eating.
Specific considerations:
If you have a child that has a restricted diet as a result of several allergies e.g. dairy, gluten, nut, is a vegetarian or just plain fussy, it is likely that they may not be receiving all of the nutrients that they need from their diet. Equally, kids who are seriously into sports may need additional nutrients due to increased nutritional requirements.
If you do have a child who is unwell, it is especially worth considering extra nutritional support although the complications of medication and specific considerations according to their health needs must be discussed with your GP.
Summary
In summary, many children do not get all the nutrients they need from their diet alone, only you will know if your child is likely to be getting the best start with a diet rich in nutrients and healthy oils, Omega 3, 6 and 9. If you are in any doubt, a good quality multivitamin and mineral supplement can be beneficial . They must never be used as a substitute for healthy food but can help if you and your family are struggling to achieve the diet that we all know is best for our health and wellbeing.
References
1. Guidelines for the use and reproduction of the eat well plate model, Food Standards Agency retrieved from http://www.food.gov.uk/scotland/scotnut/eatwellplate/guidelines
2. Ellis LJ, Hillier FC, Summerbell CD, 2006, A systematic review of the effect of nutrition, diet and dietary change on learning, education and performance of children of relevance to UK schools (Project Code: N05070), retrieved http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/systemreview.pdf
3. Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD, 2004, Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999, Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 23:6, 669-682 retrieved http://www.jacn.org/content/23/6/669.full.pdf+html
4. Mayer AM, 1997, Historical changes in the mineral content of fruits and vegetables, British Food Journal, 99:207-211
Bibliography
National Diet and Nutrition Survey, Headline results from Year 1 of the Rolling Programme (2008/2009), Edited by:
Beverley Bates, Alison Lennox, Gillian Swan, Food Standards Agency and Department of Health retrieved http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/publication/ndnsreport0809year1results.pdf
