Pilot study of dietary supplement consumption by kindergarten and elementary school children

Abstract

Introduction: The use of dietary supplements has been increasing globally, especially among children. A lot of parents are influenced by advertising. In addition, in Poland a trend to self-medication has been observed. Parents often do not distinguish dietary supplements, medicinal products and non-prescription drugs. These are the most common reasons for the increase in sales of dietary supplements in Poland. Until a few years ago, many products containing vitamins and minerals intended for children were sold as medicines. Today, a product with the same formulation is sold as a dietary supplement. However, a few studies have been conducted to assess the use of dietary supplements among Polish children.

Keywords

• dietary supplements
• herbal substances
• preschool
• elementary school
• children
• poland