Every now and again you hear a voice dismissing the idea of child supplements. Ironically, it’s often from Generation Xers brought up on a diet of meat pies and potato chips. But we turned out alright, didn’t we? So why not our kids?
While it’s true many 40+ parents have indeed turned out alright despite their dubious nutritional habits as youngsters, it appears their offspring aren’t faring quite so well. The number of Kiwi children hospitalised for malnutrition over the past decade has doubled1 while the incidence of specific vitamin deficiencies such as vitamin D has also continued to rise sharply. 2
Lifestyle and dietary choices play their part but so do other less controllable factors ranging from the rise of allergies and dietary conditions3 to the fall-off in soil quality.4
Children and teens can be particularly at risk of malnutrition with their selective pallets or just downright fussy eating. And once they’re at school it’s hard to know how much of that carefully packed (and probably nutritionally sound) lunch actually goes into their tummies compared to finding its way into the bin/dog/random child they’re sitting next to.
That’s why, despite your best efforts, it can be hard knowing which and how much of the right nutrients your kids are getting. The good news is there are a number of common-sense steps you can take to ensure your kids are on the right path to healthy development:
- Offer kids a wide variety of foods from an early stage and encourage them to try new choices.
- Set a great example yourself by being open to new foods and being positive about healthy choices. Try to incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal.
- Keep a close eye on what your kids are eating and learn the nutritional content of these foods – that includes the bad stuff.
- Get to know a little about vitamins and minerals, the foods they are found in, and think about whether your kids are getting enough of them. (For example, doctors say that one in three Kiwis are Vitamin D deficient by the end of winter2).
- A balanced diet is always best, but if they’re especially fussy eaters you could try a multivitamin, especially if it has some kind of added vegetable component. Natures Way Kids Smart Vita Gummies Multi-Vitamin + Vegies could do the trick. Not only does it contain a wide range of essential vitamins and minerals but it has added nutrients gained from carrot, spinach, beetroot and artichoke. And because these gummies are super yummy, we’re guessing you won’t have any trouble getting kids to eat them
To find out more about Natures Way Kids Smart Vita Gummies Multi-Vitamin + Vegies, click here.
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