Is It Necessary To Give Vitamins When Children Have Difficulty Eating?

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JAKARTA - When a child's body tends to be thin, mom is usually bombarded with quite a number of disturbing questions from other parents, in-laws, relatives, or friends. Like there is an unwritten rule that every mother must give additional vitamins to children. Otherwise, it's considered very strange! In addition, there are many advertisements for children's vitamins on television that depict children who are super smart, healthy, strong, and want to eat well, thanks to consuming their products.

In the end, some mothers are 'tempted' to include additional vitamins in their children's daily menu. Children are no less excited to eat it, because of its attractive taste and shape. Yes, vitamin supplements for children are usually made with a delicious taste like children's favorite fruits and have a texture like chewing gum and chewy (gummy).

However, what parents need to realize is that supplementary food (either vitamins or supplements), as the name implies, is an addition to the staple food that aims to complement the lack of nutrients needed by the body. In this way, the child's growth and development will be optimal. It is wrong to say that supplements can be used to replace natural vitamins obtained from food.

According to the 4 Pillars of Balanced Nutrition, adults and children need to eat a variety of foods, because no single type of food contains all the nutrients needed by the body. Therefore, we must combine foods that contain carbohydrates, animal and vegetable protein, vitamins and minerals (from vegetables and fruit).

The Ministry of Health recommends the consumption of:

Carbohydrates (rice, corn, sweet potatoes, cassava): 3-4 servings per day

Vegetables: 3-4 servings per day

Fruit: 2-3 servings per day

Side dishes (fish, chicken, meat, eggs, shrimp, tempeh, tofu): 2-4 servings per day

Water: about 2.5 liters per day