Abstract
There is a growing use of dietary supplements in many countries including China. This study aimed to document the prevalence of dietary supplements use and characteristics of Chinese pre-school children using dietary supplements in Australia and China. A survey was carried out in Perth, Western Australia of 237 mothers with children under five years old and 2079 in Chengdu and Wuhan, China. A total of 22.6% and 32.4% of the Chinese children were taking dietary supplements in Australia and China, respectively. In China, the most commonly used dietary supplements were calcium (58.5%) and zinc (40.4%), while in Australia, the most frequently used types were multi-vitamins/minerals (46.2%) and fish oil (42.3%). In Australia, “not working”, “never breastfeed”, “higher education level of the mother” and “older age of the child” were associated with dietary supplement use in children. In China, being unwell and “having higher household income” were significantly related to dietary supplement usage. Because of the unknown effects of many supplements on growth and development and the potential for adverse drug interactions, parents should exercise caution when giving their infants or young children dietary supplements. Wherever possible it is preferable to achieve nutrient intakes from a varied diet rather than from supplements.
Highlights
Infant nutrition is important for short term and long term health
A total of 230 Chinese mothers living in Perth, Australia and 1156 mothers living in Chengdu, Sichuan Province and 308 mothers living in Wuhan, Hubei Province, PR China completed the supplements questionnaire
The average age of Chinese mothers in Australia was older than mothers in China (33.8 ± 4.9 years compared to 31.0 ± 4.1 years, p < 0.001)
Summary
A balanced variety of nutritious foods are emphasized in the guidelines of the Australian and Chinese governments and other professional organizations as the best source of nutrition for healthy children [1,2,3]. The Chinese diet has been reported to be low in calcium, riboflavin, Vitamin A, and zinc [4,5]. A national survey in 2004 found that the average calcium intake among the city and suburban populations was 430 mg per day, well below the recommended intake [6]. The consumption of fortified foods and/or supplements can help some children meet their nutritional needs [8]. Examples of recommended use of supplements include the American Academy of Pediatrics’
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