Dietary supplement use in children, adolescents

Bottom Line: About one-third of children and adolescents in the United States use dietary supplements.

Why The Research Is Interesting: Data are lacking on the use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents, and dietary supplements are often implicated in preventable adverse drug events in this population.

Who and When: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for 4,404 children and adolescents (up to age 19) from 2003 to 2014

What (Study Measures and Outcomes): Estimates of the frequency of dietary supplement use, including both nutritional products and alternative medicine products

How (Study Design): This was a survey study.

Authors: Dima M. Qato, Pharm.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and coauthors

Study Limitations: Estimates based on survey data

Study Conclusions: Many of the most commonly used supplements, including multivitamins, are implicated in preventable adverse drug events in children and adolescents.

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.1008)

Editor's Note: The article contains conflict of interest and funding/support disclosures. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

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