An analysis of nutrient facts labels of pediatric multi-vitamin and mineral supplements: Is there a risk of overexposure?

Abstract

Background Voluntary and mandatory fortification of pediatric foods, along with widespread consumption of dietary supplements have resulted in an increased proportion of children with excessive micronutrient intake. Aim This study aimed to analyze the proportion of pediatric dietary supplements that exceed the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and Tolerable Upper Limit for the individual micronutrients. We further identified the proportion of supplements with large amounts of micronutrients that were marketed through child-friendly and parent-geared promotional language and graphics on the packaging. Methods The nutrient facts label on pediatric supplement packages sold by three large retail pharmacy chains was analyzed for micronutrient content. Labels were examined for the presence of trademarked or generic cartoon characters and parent-geared health promotional statements. Results More than a third and almost a fifth of the samples contained vitamin A and niacin respectively in amounts equivalent to or above the established tolerable upper limit for one- to three-year-old children. A major proportion of these supplements had child-friendly and parent-targeted promotional language on the package. Conclusion The potential for pediatric supplements as a source for excessive micronutrient consumption underscores the need for parents and health care professionals to use nutrition labels as a valuable tool to prevent micronutrient toxicity.