Mothers and Children Vitamins

Mothers who are health conscious and take multivitamin supplements are the ones most likely to give their daughters vitamins. Now a new study reveals some other commonalities.

The study published in the current issue of Pediatrics tries to explain why some women give their children vitamins. In 1980, the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that, with a few exceptions, "children do not need multivitamin supplements." Despite these guidelines, studies show about half of 4- to 8-year-old children are given supplements.

Mothers who give their daughters multivitamin supplements are more likely to:

Take supplements on their own
Pressure their daughters to eat healthy
Monitor their daughter's intake of food
Be successful at dieting

None of the research pointed to mothers giving their daughters supplements to make up for a lack of vitamins or minerals in their diets. Instead, the researchers write, "The pattern of findings suggests that mothers who gave multivitamin supplements to their daughters may have been attempting to address perceived, rather than real, shortcomings in their own and their daughters' diets."

In this study of 192 mother and daughter pairs, 55 percent of mothers were taking supplements and 44 percent of 5-year olds were taking them. The researchers conclude mothers should be encouraged to promote even healthier habits for their daughters, instead of offering them supplements.

SOURCE: Pediatrics 2002;109