Dietary Supplement Use among Children Whose Parents Work at National Research Centre: A Pilot Study
Sara F Sallam, Amal Hassanien, Hala H El Ashry, Amina H. Awad, Iman H Kamel, Nihad H Ahmed, Alshaimaa F. Kamal, Saneya A. Wahba
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, doi:10.12691/jfnr-11-1-10
Background: Dietary supplements use is increasing globally especially during confinement, with particular reference to vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Aim: To assess dietary supplements use and its association with sociodemographic factors among children whose parents work at National Research Centre Cairo, Egypt. Method: An online cross-sectional study was carried out among 200 children < 19 years old whose parents are working at NRC (87 mother and 19 father). An online questionnaire was prepared to elucidate dietary supplements use during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, from December 2020 to March 2021. Results: Overall prevalence of Dietary supplements consumption was (99\200 =49.5%) with no sex difference.DS were used significantly more often by children whose parents are highly educated or related to those working in the scientific sector. The most frequently used supplements as reported by parents were vitamin C (81.5%), zinc (53.8%) and vitamin D (46.9%). More than one third of children had iron and calcium supplement (36.9% and 35.4% respectively). No significant difference was found between supplementation and body mass index.DS were used to improve health (58.5%) and improve immunity (40.6%) with either physician or pharmacist advice. DS was taken with and without medical prescription. more than 20% of respondents are not aware that DS have side effects. Conclusion: Parental education is essential as regards to Dietary supplements use either for their children or for themselves.
Limitations The present study experienced some difficulties and in turn limitations. Sample size is small as it is the first online study to be performed among NRC committee during the lock down period where people were still in the shock stage unable to perform and work. However, we hope to expand such study to be performed among children in another study enrolling larger numbers.
Conflict of Interest None. Finally, this research paper is dedicated to the soul of Professor Amal Hassanien who worked a lot to start this research and didn't have chance to see its finalization, May her soul rest in peace.
References
Alexander, Tinkov, Strand, Alehagen, Skalnya et al., Early nutritional interventions with zinc, selenium and vitamin D for raising anti-viral resistance against progressive COVID-19, Nutrients
Ali, Role of vitamin D in preventing of COVID-19 infection, progression and severity, J Infect Public Health
Alyami, Orabi, Aldhabbah, Alturki, Aburas et al., Knowledge about COVID-19 and beliefs about and use of herbal products during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia, Saudi Pharm. J
Barnes, Ball, Desbrow, Alsharairi, Ahmed, Consumption and reasons for use of dietary supplements in an Australian university population, Nutrition
Bousquet, Cristol, Czarlewski, Anto, Martineau et al., Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19: time for research to develop adaptation strategies, Clin Transl Allergy
Brendler, Al-Harrasi, Bauer, Gafner, Hardy et al., Botanical drugs and supplements affecting the immune response in the time of COVID-19: Implications for research and clinical practice, Phytother Res
Brown, Vouri, Manini, Survey-reported medication changes among older adults during the SARS-CoV-2(COVID-19) pandemic, Res. Soc. Adm. Pharm
Bylinowska, Januszko, Rolf, Sici ' Nska, Kalu' Za et al., Factors determining the use of dietary supplements containing vitamins and/or minerals in a selected group of children aged 6-12 years, Ann. Natl. Inst. Hyg
Calder, Carr, Gombart, Eggersdorfer, Optimal nutritional status for a wellfunctioning immune system is an important factor to protect against viral infections, Nutrients
Carr, Rowe, The emerging role of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, Nutrients
Cowan, Jun, Gahche, Tooze, Dwyer et al., Dietary Supplement Use Differs by Socioeconomic and Health-Related Characteristics among U.S. Adults, NHANES 2011-2014, Nutrients
Dickinson, Blatman, El-Dash, Franco, Consumer Usage and Reasons for Using Dietary Supplements: Report of a Series of Surveys, J. Am. Coll. Nutr
Dwyer, Nahin, Rogers, Barnes, Jacques et al., Prevalence and predictors of children's dietary supplement use: the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, Am J Clin Nutr
Giuseppe, Massimo, Mauro, Michela, Simone et al., The long history of vitamin C:from prevention of the common cold to potential aid in the treatment of COVID-19, Front Immunol
Hamulka, Jeruszka-Bielak, Gornicka, Drywien, Zielinska-Pukos, Dietary Supplements during COVID-19
Huybrechts, Maes, Vereecken, De Keyzer, De Bacquer et al., High dietary supplement intakes among Flemish preschoolers, Appetite
Karbownik, Dobielska, Paul, Kowalczyk, Kowalczyk, Health-, medication-and dietary supplementrelated behaviors and beliefs relatively unchanged during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Res. Soc. Adm. Pharm
Mayasari, Khanh Ngan, Ho, Lundy, Skalny et al., Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security and Diet-Related Lifestyle Behaviors: An Analytical Study of Google Trends-Based Query Volumes, Nutrients
Messina, Polito, Monda, Cipolloni, Nunno et al., Functional role of dietary interventionto improve the outcome of COVID-19: a hypothesis of work, Int J Mol Sci
Mohsen, Yazbeck, Al-Jawaldeh, Bou Chahine, Hamieh et al., Attitudes, and Practices Related to Dietary Supplementation, before and during the COVID-19Pandemic: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in the Lebanese Population, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health
Mosekilde, Vitamin D and the elderly, Clin Endocrinol (Oxf)
Mrityunjaya, Pavithra, Neelam, Janhavi, Halami et al., Immune-Boosting, Antioxidant and Antiinflammatory Food Supplements Targeting Pathogenesis of COVID-19, Front. Immunol
Munshi, Hussein, Toraih, Elshazli, Jardakc et al., Vitamin D insufficiency as a potential culprit in critical COVID-19 patients, J Med Virol
Namazi, Kelishadi, Heshmat, Motlagh, Sanaei et al., Determinants of taking dietary supplements in Iranian children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-V study, Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders
Organization, Others, WHO child growth standards: length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, weightfor-height and body mass index-for-age: methods and development
Outbreak, Results of Google Trends Analysis Supported by PLifeCOVID-19 Online Studies, Nutrients
Philibert, Hoegy, Philippe, Marec-Berard, Bleyzac, A French survey on the resort oforal alternative complementary medicines used in children with cancer, Bull. Cancer
Piekara, Krzywonos, Kaczmarczyk, What Do Polish Parents and Caregivers Think of Dietary Supplements for Children Aged 3-12?, Nutrients
Prasad, Beck, Bao, Fitzgerald, Snell et al., Zinc supplementation decreases incidence of infections in the elderly: effect of zinc on generation of cytokines and oxidative stress, Am J Clin Nutr
Scarmozzino, Visioli, Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown modified dietary habits of almost half the population in an Italian sample, Foods
Snyder, Mary, Kirkpatrick, Neill, Use and safety perceptions regarding herbal supplements: A study of older persons in southeast Idaho, J. Nutr. Elder
Weiss, Navas-Martin, Coronavirus pathogenesis and the emerging pathogen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, Microbiol Mol Biol Rev
DOI record:
{
"DOI": "10.12691/jfnr-11-1-10",
"ISSN": [
"2333-1119"
],
"URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.12691/jfnr-11-1-10",
"author": [
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "F Sallam",
"given": "Sara",
"sequence": "first"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "Hassanien",
"given": "Amal",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "H El Ashry",
"given": "Hala",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "H. Awad",
"given": "Amina",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "H Kamel",
"given": "Iman",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "H Ahmed",
"given": "Nihad",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "F. Kamal",
"given": "Alshaimaa",
"sequence": "additional"
},
{
"affiliation": [],
"family": "A. Wahba",
"given": "Saneya",
"sequence": "additional"
}
],
"container-title": "Journal of Food and Nutrition Research",
"container-title-short": "JFNR",
"content-domain": {
"crossmark-restriction": false,
"domain": []
},
"created": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
2,
1
]
],
"date-time": "2023-02-01T02:12:10Z",
"timestamp": 1675217530000
},
"deposited": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
2,
1
]
],
"date-time": "2023-02-01T02:12:10Z",
"timestamp": 1675217530000
},
"indexed": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
2,
1
]
],
"date-time": "2023-02-01T05:23:53Z",
"timestamp": 1675229033051
},
"is-referenced-by-count": 0,
"issue": "1",
"issued": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
1,
30
]
]
},
"journal-issue": {
"issue": "1",
"published-print": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
1,
30
]
]
}
},
"member": "4952",
"original-title": [],
"page": "102-108",
"prefix": "10.12691",
"published": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
1,
30
]
]
},
"published-print": {
"date-parts": [
[
2023,
1,
30
]
]
},
"publisher": "Science and Education Publishing Co., Ltd.",
"reference-count": 0,
"references-count": 0,
"relation": {},
"resource": {
"primary": {
"URL": "http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfnr/11/1/10/index.html"
}
},
"score": 1,
"short-title": [],
"source": "Crossref",
"subject": [
"General Engineering"
],
"subtitle": [],
"title": "Dietary Supplement Use among Children Whose Parents Work at National Research Centre: A Pilot Study",
"type": "journal-article",
"volume": "11"
}
