What Do Polish Parents and Caregivers Think of Dietary Supplements for Children Aged 3–12?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to specify the amounts and the types of dietary supplements (DS) taken by children and define the attitudes of caregivers towards DS and towards administering them to children aged 3-12. An analysis of the reasons for using DSs, and of expected benefits and awareness of health risks associated with administering DSs, was conducted. METHODS: The online questionnaire collected information on sociodemographic characteristics and use of dietary supplements. Multiple analyses were used to describe the relationship between demographic factors and dietary supplement intake. In particular cases, strength and correlation were also calculated. RESULTS: In total, 54.89% of participants were administering dietary supplements to children at the time of completing the questionnaire-a weak linear relationship (Cramer's V = 0.21) between child's age and the child taking dietary supplements. Respondents for whom DSs are equivalents of medicines tend not to see that dietary supplements may cause side-effects and interact. CONCLUSIONS: Parents who administer dietary supplements to children show a tendency to have more trust in this type of product than the people who do not do so. It was also confirmed that the people who take dietary supplements transfer their behavioral patterns by also administering them to their children.