I’m Tired Of . . .Worrying About my Child’s Diet

It´s tough to be a healthy child today. Children are bombarded with conflicting messages about food. What´s good for them is to eat raw vegetables and fruit, what´s “cool” is to bring fancy packaged treats in their lunchboxes. Major labels tempt kids with flashy advertisements, claiming their foods are low in fat and sugar, but in reality they are highly processed and provide little nutritional value.

In the UK the availability of good food has meant that our children´s diets are more varied and nutrient-rich than in poorer countries. However, good availability does not equate to good variety and healthy choices. Reports in the press with regards to obesity of children suggest that there must be something wrong with the nutrition of our children.

Parents have always worried about providing their children with the right nutritional care. Now that so many food choices and supplements are available, there may be added questions about which choices are the best choices. The main focus should be on a well-rounded diet which is low in sugar and processed fat and high in whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables and essential fatty acids. We can also think about supplements in order to ensure that our children really get the nutrients they need for a healthy growth.

This is particularly important as the foods our children eat in early life affect their health in later life. According to a study in 2002 from the General Preventive Residency in San Diego, California, osteoporosis prevention should begin in childhood and adolescence as these are the peak times for banking bones. So this is the time to build the maximum amount of strength into our skeleton before the inevitable bone loss which occurs later in life, says Dr. Tobias, of the Rheumatology unit, University of Bristol.

There are many children´s supplements in different forms of administration like tablets, chewable or liquids on the market. To check the quality it is necessary to scrutinize the ingredients list and the doses of vitamins and minerals. Many supplements for children contain chemical preservatives, colourings, flavourings, sugar or sweeteners. Also some multivitamin – multimineral supplements may contain nutrients which affect the absorption of another one (e.g. calcium and iron).
In general liquid supplements are the better option as the nutrients are more easily absorbed by the body. Once the liquid supplement is swallowed, it quickly mixes with the digestive liquids in the gastro-intestinal tract, and from there is rapidly transported round the body to those organs which will benefit from the minerals and vitamins. Furthermore, to reach a 100% disintegration, a tablet needs various additives – whilst these need not to be present in a liquid.

A time tested supplement particularly formulated for children is Floradix Kindervital Fruity Formula. Kindervital Fruity Formula contains nine essential vitamins (A, B1, B2, Niacin, B6, B12, C, D, E) and calcium for strong bones and teeth. It is free from lactose, gluten, animal derivatives, synthetic additives, chemical preservatives and colourings. The balanced formula contains extracts of selected herbs like aniseed, coriander fruits and camomile which help maintain a healthy digestion and appetite. This is why Kindervital is ideal to safeguard a child´s intake of essential vitamins and calcium.
Kindervital Fruity Formula is available from Holland & Barrett, independent health stores and selected pharmacies nationwide.