title: Association of age and family history with supplement use in pediatric patients with allergy.
abstract: This study was conducted to determine the frequency and characteristics of supplement use in pediatric patients with allergic disorders in Japan. A total of 229 patients with various allergic disorders aged between 0 and 15 years were enrolled. Supplements were defined as preparations that provided nutritional content in the form of a tablet, capsule, powder, liquid, or jelly. The parents of each subject were asked to complete a questionnaire on their child's use of supplements over the previous year. Demographic information, parents' perceived view of the child's health status over the previous month, and family history of both allergic disorders, and supplement use were collected. Four hundred eight age- and sex-matched healthy children served as the controls. Twenty-nine (12.7%) patients had used supplements. This frequency was not significantly different from that in the control group (15.0%). The types of supplements most commonly used were vitamins, followed by minerals, probiotics, and chlorella. Univariate analysis revealed that older age and a positive family history of supplement use were associated with patients' supplement use. The types of allergic disorders, health status from the point of view of the parents, and a family history of allergic disorders did not show any significant association. To our knowledge, this is the first cross-sectional study to demonstrate the frequency and the factors affecting supplement use in pediatric patients with allergic disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Life and Environment, Nara Women's University, Kitauoya-nishimachi, Nara 630-8506, Japan. masaru_kubota@chime.ocn.ne.jp
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Nagisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Shoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suehiro
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusunoki
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wakazono
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiyomasu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002708:Chlorella; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007223:Infant; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008903:Minerals / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044623:Nutrition Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D004304:Dosage Forms; D018977:Micronutrients; D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins