Many Kids Don't Need the Vitamins They're Taking

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Anyone who has the minimum of problem solving skills should be able to see that it is not a rich/poor or white/minority or city/country or anyting that has "sexy controversy" for headlines. Quite simply it is compentent caring parents vs incompetent distracted parents. IF you care for your children and you have more than 1/2 of a brain, you will realize that a sensible diet and exercise is needed for development. It is not beyond anyones reach to purchase dairy and fruits and vegtables and breads and some meats. People who choose to buy cable, cellphones, beer, tobacco, etc... are why there is any headlines for this!
I certianly don't need the government to tell me how to feed my children, if I did, maybe I shouldn't be allowed to procreate.

Ray of TX 12:40PM February 03, 2009

Ostensibly, the government or state represents the People. If you're not funding public agencies whose mission it is to ensure the public health, do you think giant corporations are going to look out for the citizens? Doubtful. The right course of action is to properly fund our social welfare agencies and then pay attention to what they're doing. On a related note, all power is corruptible and therefore all power must be monitored. We will never be so free that we can hand over the responsibility for our own well-being to a government agency and then ignore what that agency does on our behalf and expect that our interests will magically be secured.

Hilary Smith of CA 12:05PM February 03, 2009

Vitamins can be funded by allowing people to use their food stamps to purchase children's viatmins. Those on food stamps can be educated to buy a few generic items and use the extra money saved for children's vitamins. I have met people on food stamps. They receive a healthy amount of money for food. They just don't purchase healthy food. They buy more name brand, high priced, ready to eat foods, than the rest of us.

DRH of MN 11:29AM February 03, 2009

Let's state that "Many Kids Don't Need the Vitamins They're Taking" because that's about as far as most people will even read. Of course they go on to mention that this is applicable to those who have a "varied diet". Even middle class families who make a decent living don't feed their kids properly. Just because you have money, doesn't mean your kid eats well. Most kids eat crap and that's the truth and based on the statistics right now, so do most adults. Show me a kid who eats 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day...I have a better chance of becoming Batman than that happening. And let's not forget the whole milk propaganda. You don't "need" milk...Milk is for babies and it's probably one of the causes of cancer in the world. Read the book "The China Study" and you would be shocked at what you will discover.
Chances are, if you are taking a food based multi-vitamin, then it's not going to hurt at all and will more than likely help support a healthy lifestyle but it's not made to replace eating properly. Most people buy vitamins for their kids such as Flintstones or Centrum, etc…These are all junk and mostly synthetic. Basic principle is, if it’s derived from fruits and veggies, chances are, it will absorb properly. No Dr. would object to a kid eating an apple so if they are taking a supplement that is derived from a food based source, then why object to it? If you read the New England Journal of Medicine, you will probably find some studies that show vitamins don’t work but you will also find some that show they do. Don’t let the FDA (who clearly has been sleeping on the job for many years now) RDA amounts fool you. A lot of the RDA amounts are long out of date and rarely updated to reflect current scientific data that supports nutritional changes. Vitamin D and Calcium are 2 things that were finally updated after several years of proof showing how necessary it is to have these nutrients. Try getting 1500 mg of Calcium from a bowl of Lucky Charms.

Jim B of NJ 10:45AM February 03, 2009

Funding these agencies are you crazy.All they care about is keeping this country sick so they all came make more money off it.They would love to ban anything thats natural or organic to keep the cancer business growing.If you think the FDA cares about us you're living in your own little world.Get educated and get the facts.Get the info on what Prince Charles did to fight to remove aspertame and high frucose corn syrup removed from the UK's food.Our FDA allows these things.If anything fund the holistic and natural ways to prevent illness.You can't even find milk that has'nt been pasturized and homogenized unless you drive out to a farm,,but I'm sure the government will stop that soon.Don't believe these agencies that tell you supplements don't work.Smarten up and educate yourself.Other countries have.

crager of MI 10:29AM February 03, 2009

Vitamins and supplements are a good source for the body regardless of diet, although no doubt, those that do not eat right, exercise, get good sleep and are stressed need them more. Why is the FDA then trying to ban these? (Wake up, folks). There is also however no doubt that these are expensive and I agree with many of the comments here that those with lower income are going to provide for themselves or their family to the best of their ability which will be food, no matter how unhealthy as opposed to vitamins and supplements. This is a no brainer and I'm completely astonished that this was such a surprise. Is it even plausible anymore that we can have less fraud, waste and abuse with our tax paying dollars?

Jackie of MI 8:09AM February 03, 2009

Here's an idea: How 'bout we actually start funding the agencies that ensure American children are being nourished properly. Call me crazy, but child nutrition seems kind of important to the future of our nation.

Hilary Smith of CA 2:59AM February 03, 2009

This article is just barely more insightful than someone writing a thesis on the finding that its the poor people who have the least money.

Arvind 2:38AM February 03, 2009

I guess these researches never had to pay their own way through college. Vitamins don't stop hunger pains. If you have to eat on $2 a day, you'll be buying pasta, rice and PBJ. You will seek out the largest volume of food for the price. Why do you think the dollar menu at McDonalds is so popular? Certainly not for the flavor or nutritional value.
Money aside, if you don't CARE about the things you child eats, then you don't care about nutrition. If you're not making sure that your child gets a well rounded diet, then why would you think to buy vitamins?
Most americans are not active, or in shape. They don't eat a healthy diet and are overweight. They eat what tastes good, so vitamins have very little appeal. Why would their children be any different?
Of course, there's the fact that most vitamins go right through you and are just a waste of money. Take a vitamin B pill and see how it changes the color of your urine. Enough said.

eman of CO 7:04PM February 02, 2009

It took scientific research to figure out that rich white children are the ones getting vitamins? Seriously? And they were surprised by this? Hey, here's a newsflash--poor families who can't afford food also can't afford vitamins. I know that must come as a shock to some people. The ones who aren't living in reality, apparently.

Julie of TN 5:49PM February 02, 2009