Kids Supplements

Sufficient nutrition is important for children as many nutrients are required for healthy growth. However, children may be picky and only eat specific food or they may not have an appetite to consume foods of different nutritional contents. for example, though vegetables are high in fibres, vitamins and minerals, but children may omit them from their diet due to the unpleasant taste. On the contrary, foods with low nutrient content and high in fat such as potato chips and candies are preferred by the children. In such cases, health supplements are necessary to provide nutrients for children to support their growth. There are several supplements that are recommended for the young children, namely calcium, vitamins and iron supplements.

Due to the high activity level and growth, children require high energy content. However, they should consume foods based on the recommendations of the healthy diet pyramid for kids and teens (http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/article?id=6086) by the Health Promotion Board, Singapore.

Calcium

Calcium is an important mineral for growth of the bones and teeth, especially in children. Calcium requirement in children is the highest than any other age group. However, most children are unable to reach their daily requirement of about 1000mg of calcium. This will hence call for the use of supplements.

Other uses of calcium include:

• Regulating muscle functioning, such as contraction and relaxation;
• Regulating heart functioning;
• Blood clotting;
• Transmission of nervous system messages;
• Enzyme function (Better Health Channel, 2011)

Each NUTRILITE Chewables Calcium Magnesium (http://www.amway2u.com/mall_proddet.jsp?prrfnbr=1013) tablet contains 270 mg of calcium and 50 mg of magnesium. The tablets are chewable and chocolate flavoured and easily accepted by the young children. For children 4 years old or younger, one tablet a day is sufficient and 2 tablets a day for older children or adults. Magnesium helps with the calcium metabolism.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is important in children's diet as it can help to form and repair red blood cells. It have the following functions:

• keep children's gums stay healthy and
• strengthens children's blood vessels,
• minimizing bruising from falls and scrapes.
• Helps with healing of cuts and wounds
• boosts the immune system
• keeps infections away
• helps the body absorb iron from iron-rich foods (BabyCenter, 2012).

Each NUTRILITE Chewables Natural C tablet (http://www.amway2u.com/mall_proddet.jsp?prrfnbr=1007) provides 30 mg of natural vitamin C, which comes from the exclusive NUTRILITE Acerola Cherry Concentrates. For children between 1 to 4 years old, they should chew 2 tablets daily and 3 tablets for older children.

Iron

Iron is needed to help maintain the health of the red blood cells. Vitamin C helps with absorption of iron more effectively. Inadequate iron consumption can lead to iron-deficiency anaemia (MRC Human Nutrition Research, 2008). It is important that your children consume sufficient iron as iron-deficiency anaemia can affect children's school performance.

Low iron level may cause the following conditions in both young children and adolescence:

• decreased attention span,
• reduced alertness,
• learning difficulties,
• excessive amount of lead absorption (Chen, Y., 2012).

Each tablet of NUTRILITE Chewables Multivitamin and Iron Supplement (http://www.amway2u.com/mall_proddet.jsp?prrfnbr=1002) provides substantial amounts of 10 vitamins: vitamin A, B1, B2, niacin, B6, folic acid, B12, C, D, E and also iron. Children under 4 years old are recommended to eat one tablets a day, and 2 tablets for older children and adults. this supplement is contains iron which can help children to meet their growing needs. It has a natural orange flavour with is sweetened with fructose and hence making it pleasant to consume for children.

References:

Better Health Channel, 2011. Calcium [online]. Available from: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Calcium [Accessed on 16 August 2012].

MRC Human Nutrition Research, 2008. Nutritional needs in children [online]. Available from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/life_children.sh [Accessed on 17 August 2012].

Chen, Y., 2012. Iron deficiency anemia – children [online]. Available from: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007134.htm [Accessed on 17 August 2012].

BabyCenter, 2012. Vitamin C in your child's diet [online]. Available from: http://www.babycenter.com/0_vitamin-c-in-your-childs-diet_10324695.bc [Accessed on 17 August 2012].