by Nick Fuller,The Conversation

Credit: Gustavo Fring from Pexels

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you'll see shelves lined with brightly packaged vitamin and mineral supplements designed for children.

These products promise to support immunity, boost brain development and promote healthy growth—leading many parents to believe they're a necessary addition to their child's diet.

For parents of fussy eatersin particular, supplements may feel like a quick and reassuring solution. But are they actually needed?

It's true thatchildrenrequire a broad range ofvitamins and minerals—such as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K, along with folate, calcium, iodine, iron and zinc—for healthy development. These nutrients play essential roles in brain and nerve development, vision, bone strength, immune function, metabolism and maintaining a healthy weight.

However, for most healthy children, these nutrients can and should come from food—not from supplements.

Even children withselective eating habitstypically receive adequate nutrition from everyday foods, many of which are fortified. Common staples such asbreakfast cereals, milk and bread are often enriched with key nutrients such as B vitamins, iron, calcium and iodine.

Although many children's supplements claim to support immunity, growth, or overall well-being, there is little robustscientific evidencethat they improve health outcomes or prevent illness in otherwise healthy children.

Leading health bodiesadvise that children who consume a varied diet do not need additional supplementation.

Researchconsistently shows that getting vitamins and minerals throughwhole foodsis superior to taking them in supplement form. Foods provide these nutrients along with fiber, enzymes, andbioactive compounds, such as phytochemicals and healthy fats, which enhance absorption, metabolism and overall efficacy in ways isolated supplements cannot replicate.

Parents should also be aware that supplements are not risk-free.

Fat-soluble vitamins—such as A, D, E and K—can accumulate in the body if consumed in excess. If theyreach toxic levels, they can cause health issues. In the case of A and B vitamins, these issues can besevereand even cause death.

High doses of other water-soluble vitamins,such as vitamin C, may not be dangerous, but can cause side effects like diarrhea or interfere with the absorption of other nutrients.

Many children's supplements are flavored or sweetened to make them more appealing. While this might make them easier to administer, it also introduces added sugars and artificial ingredients into children's diets—potentially undermining healthy eating habits.

There is also a psychological dimension to consider. Routinely giving children supplements in response to normal eating behaviors, such asfussiness or selective food preferences, may inadvertently teach them that pills are a substitute for a nutritious diet, rather than a temporary aid.

The most reliable way to provide children with essential vitamins and minerals is through a varied and balanced diet. This means including dairy, meat, poultry, fish, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and a colorful array of fruits and vegetables.

If you're regularly negotiating with a pint-sized dictator over a single pea, rest assured you're far from alone.Researchshows nearly half of children go through a phase of picky eating—a behavior rooted in our evolutionary past.

Early humans developed an aversion to unfamiliar or bitter foods as a survival mechanism to avoid potential toxins. At the same time, they learned to seek out and store energy-rich, palatable foods to survive periods of scarcity.

So, how can parents gently encourage toddlers to embrace healthier, more colorful food options?

By taking these small, strategic steps, parents can support their child's nutrition and help them develop a positive relationship with food—no matter how selective their tastes may be.

That said, there are cases where supplementation may be appropriate—such as children with diagnosed nutritional deficiencies, specific medical conditions, or highly restricted diets.

In these instances, parents should seek advice from a qualified health professional, such as a GP or pediatric dietitian. Warning signs may include symptoms such as persistent constipation orsigns of impaired growth.

But for most children, vitamin supplements aren't necessary—they may be doing more harm than good.

This article is republished fromThe Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.

Provided by The Conversation