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ISSN 0973 - 0958
Vitamin and Minerals in Children
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NUTRITION IN CHILDREN
VITAMIN AND MINERALS IN CHILDREN
Why is vitamin or mineral supplementation required?
Children especially toddlers and preschoolers are deficient in vitamin and minerals. This can be due to variety of causes such as
All these causes tend to lead to deficiency of vitamins and minerals in children. Research has suggested that addition of vitamins and minerals into the food (such as addition of iodine in common salt) or vitamin and mineral supplements over a prolonged period of time improves their stores in the body.
Why are vitamins and minerals important?
Vitamins and minerals are called as Micronutrients. (They are required in small quantity for adequate nourishment of body whereas proteins, carbohydrates and fats are called as macronutrients as they are required in larger quantity for nourishment of body). These micronutrients are essential for growth, improving mental abilities and also improve immunity in a child. Research has found that Micronutrient supplementation in children who are deficient tends to improve growth especially height, their cognitive abilities and leads to lesser infections. Since the 1st five years are the major critical period of growth and 1st 3 years of life are most important for brain development, it is essential that a child in these critical years receives a balanced nutritious diet with adequate amount of macronutrients and micronutrients. However, in reality, a balanced nutritious diet is often not given due to the various causes mentioned above and it may be necessary to supplement these children with various nutrients and vitamins and minerals to ensure adequate growth and development.
Can just a single vitamin be supplemented or multivitamins or multi-micronutrients required in children?
Isolated deficiency of a single vitamin or mineral is rare in children and multi-micronutrient deficiencies co-exist. Thus in a growing child, multi-micronutrient adequacy is essential to maintain adequate physical growth, achieve maximum brain development and proper immunity.
Children especially toddlers and preschoolers are deficient in vitamin and minerals. This can be due to variety of causes such as
| a) | 24>Deficiency of vitamins and minerals in mother and thus poor vitamin and minerals stores in her baby when she gets pregnant | |
| b) | Wrong feeds are started when child is weaned off breast milk which are deficient in vitamins and minerals | |
| c) | Some children are fussy eater and do not eat right kind of balanced nutritious food but tend to like junk food that are poor sources of vitamins and minerals. | |
| d) | Some children have a dislike for vegetables and fruits. |
All these causes tend to lead to deficiency of vitamins and minerals in children. Research has suggested that addition of vitamins and minerals into the food (such as addition of iodine in common salt) or vitamin and mineral supplements over a prolonged period of time improves their stores in the body.
Why are vitamins and minerals important?
Vitamins and minerals are called as Micronutrients. (They are required in small quantity for adequate nourishment of body whereas proteins, carbohydrates and fats are called as macronutrients as they are required in larger quantity for nourishment of body). These micronutrients are essential for growth, improving mental abilities and also improve immunity in a child. Research has found that Micronutrient supplementation in children who are deficient tends to improve growth especially height, their cognitive abilities and leads to lesser infections. Since the 1st five years are the major critical period of growth and 1st 3 years of life are most important for brain development, it is essential that a child in these critical years receives a balanced nutritious diet with adequate amount of macronutrients and micronutrients. However, in reality, a balanced nutritious diet is often not given due to the various causes mentioned above and it may be necessary to supplement these children with various nutrients and vitamins and minerals to ensure adequate growth and development.
Can just a single vitamin be supplemented or multivitamins or multi-micronutrients required in children?
Isolated deficiency of a single vitamin or mineral is rare in children and multi-micronutrient deficiencies co-exist. Thus in a growing child, multi-micronutrient adequacy is essential to maintain adequate physical growth, achieve maximum brain development and proper immunity.
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