Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use in Korean Children and Adolescents: Insights from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2009

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of dietary supplement (DS) use in Korean children and adolescents and to examine the related factors associated with DS use from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Total 6,131 participants aged between 2 and 18 yr were included in the analysis. We estimated the prevalence of DS use mainly from the DS questionnaire data of the Nutrition Survey. Reported supplements were classified according to the Health Functional Food Code. We also assessed the relationship between DS use and anthropometry, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, and chronic diseases. Approximately 34% of Korean children and adolescent was taking DS. Younger age (P = 0.003), higher household income (P < 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (P = 0.05), regular meal consumption (P = 0.002), frequent snack consumption (P = 0.001), and normal body mass index rather than overweight (P = 0.10) or obesity (P = 0.03) were associated with the DS use after adjustment for related factors. Vitamin/mineral supplements (343.5/103 persons) were the most commonly taken DS in Korean children and adolescents, followed by Omega-3 (28.8), ginseng (18.3), colostrums (14.1) and chlorella/spirulina (10.0). In conclusion, DS use is common as much as in 34% of Korean children and adolescents and is associated with age, household income level, chronic diseases, meal regularity, and obesity status.

Factors Related to Body Mass Index and Body Mass Index Change in Korean Children: Preliminary Results from the Obesity and Metabolic Disorders Cohort in Childhood / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: This preliminary study is to assess risk factors associated with children's body mass index (BMI) and their changes over a 2-year period based on the analysis of the Obesity and Metabolic Disorders Cohort in Childhood registry. METHODS: A total of 1,504 children comprised of 474 1st graders and 1,030 4th graders were included in the study. Data on physical activity, dietary intake, and socioeconomic status were obtained through self-administered questionnaires, and height and weight were measured annually for 2 years. RESULTS: In a cross-sectional analysis, BMI of 1st graders was associated with higher parental BMI (both P < 0.001) and frequent snack consumption (P = 0.049). BMI of 4th graders was additionally associated with shorter sleep duration (P = 0.001), lower household income (P = 0.016), higher fat intake (P = 0.017), and frequent meal skipping (P = 0.020). During a 2-year follow-up, BMI increased by 0.8 +/- 1.4 kg/m2 in 1st graders and by 1.3 +/- 1.4 kg/m2 in 4th graders. In a longitudinal analysis, higher exercise frequency (P = 0.007), shorter sleep duration (P = 0.027), lower household income (P = 0.002), and higher paternal BMI (P = 0.002, 0.043) were significant predictors of BMI changes in the 1st graders whereas only higher maternal BMI (P=0.035), and frequent snack consumption (P = 0.010) were predictors for the 4th graders BMI changes. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that parental obesity, short sleep duration, low socioeconomic status, and frequent snacking are associated with BMI and BMI changes.