Many adults look back and think fondly about childhood. They remember feeling
invincible—how they could fall off of a bike, skin their knee and get up to play
without the thought of a Band-Aid or how they will feel in the morning. They
recall worry-free times with no medical bills to pay and a long healthy life
ahead.
However, things may not be so rosy for current-day kids. Today, many American
children suffer from obesity, diabetes and disorders such as Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression. The Federal Interagency Forum on
Child and Family Statistics reported in 2005 and 2006, 17 percent of children
ages 6 to 17 were overweight; in 2006, 9 percent of parents said their children
had an activity limitation due to chronic conditions. According to the National
Alliance of Mental Illness, ADHD affects an estimated 2 million American
children—an average of at least one child in every U.S. classroom. The U.S.
Department of Human Services noted serious emotional disturbances affect one in
every 10 young people at any given time. And allergic disease is the third most
common chronic disease among children under 18 years old, according to the
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
American children are overfed, distracted, unhappy and allergic. That doesn't
fit with the ideal happy times parents want them to look back on. And,
unfortunately, it is likely the adults in their lives that have a lot to do with
these children's unpleasant times because of the lifestyle choices they make.
With good reason, parents, grandparents and child caretakers are looking to
rid their child's life of the things that make him or her sick. With the October
2008 warning from FDA stating over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines
should not be used to treat infants and children under 2 years of age because
serious and potentially life-threatening side effects, many are wondering about
other conventional children's products, including medicine and even food that
could cause harm. Luckily, many natural product companies are ready with
supplies to fill retail shelves with healthy alternatives.
"There is a growing interest in children's healthy products mostly due to
health issues that have arisen from unhealthy lifestyle—for example, childhood
obesity, early-onset diabetes, auto-immune disorders, eating disorders, etc.,"
said Deborah Luster, president and founder of Can Do Kid. "There is more
information to support that natural and organic foods are better for our
families and some products (like non-organic milk that has BGH and jumpstarts
puberty at an early age) that were traditionally OK to give children are no
longer viewed as OK."
Many caretakers are realizing the action they once took in the best interest
of their child is no longer the way to achieve optimum health. "I think parents
and grandparents are realizing that being a pill-taking society to get rid of
the symptom, not as a cure, may seem good for the short term, but is detrimental
long term," noted Gary Kracoff, pharmacist and doctor of naturopathic medicine,
Johnson Compounding and Wellness Center.
Plain and simple, those old stand-bys may have negative effects, and many
consumers are willing to make a change for their children's health. "What is
commonplace today in reviewing the composition of our foods may have been
considered niche or activist as recent as 15 years ago," said Mary Schulman,
co-founder and EVP of marketing at Snikiddy Snacks.
Conventionally Lacking
Many nutrients seem to be lacking in children's diets and parents are
sometimes confused on what constitutes a good meal. Kent Spalding, vice
president of marketing, Barbara's Bakery/Weetabix North America, offered a few
guidelines. "A rule of thumb is that healthy food should not derive more than 35
percent of its calories from fat (excluding nuts, seeds and nut butters) and
should have no more than 35 percent added sugar by weight," he said. "For sodium
levels, parents need to ensure daily sodium levels range between 500 mg to 2,200
mg for children and adolescents aged 1 to 13 and up to 2,300 mg per day for
people aged 14 or older."
Herb Joiner-Bey, scientific advisor to Barlean's Organic Oils, added,
"Micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other food factors are
critical to optimal growth and development in children. Whole food concentrates,
especially greens, provide the widest range of micronutrients to fill in the
nutritional gaps of children's finicky eating habits."
Carbohydrates and iron are also lacking in most children's diets, according
to Tara DelloIacono-Thies, R&D, Clif Bar & Co. "Carbohydrates and iron are key
nutrients for proper cognitive and behavioral development," she said.
"Carbohydrates are needed for proper brain functioning, while lack of iron can
have serious effects on cognition (fatigue, depression, anxiety, decreased
attention and memory levels)."
Shazi Visram, founder and CEO, HappyBaby, added don't forget vitamin D. "The
American Academy of Pediatrics has recently doubled the recommended daily intake
of vitamin D for infants," she said "Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that promotes
calcium absorption and bone health."
Her emphasis on vitamin D was echoed by Melissa Wilson, MS, food science, J.R.
Carlson Laboratories Inc. "One positive health product trend is the increasing
awareness of the importance of vitamin D, not only for bone health but for
healthy immune function," she said. "Vitamin D deficiency was recently linked to
an increased risk of upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency,
and lower than optimal vitamin D levels, are common in children and teenagers.
Hopefully, parents are becoming more informed about the benefits and necessity
of supplemental vitamin D for children and infants."
Ingredients to Lose and Gain
Not only do many conventional products lack essential nutrients for children,
they may contain harmful ingredients. Artificial colors, flavors and
preservatives are one area of concern. "Artificial colors and flavors can
irritate brain nerve cells, triggering mood, behavior and learning
difficulties," Joiner-Bey said. "Some additives also increase risk for asthma
attacks in susceptible children. Natural colors and flavors are far safer for
children."
Spalding agreed, adding, "Artificial colors, flavors and preservatives are
also of concern because they are made with chemicals that young bodies may not
be able to process out."
And Schulman suggested consumers don't want added colors, unnatural or
natural. "Consumers are now willing to accept and expecting to see food more in
its natural state, so the use of artificial colors is now met with a skeptical
eye by consumers," she said.
Katie David, director of wholesale marketing, Warm Whiskers, said some
ingredients of concern are, "Anything that ends in ‘ose'! Fructose, glucose and
dextrose."
That concern about sugar is also high on the list of Brandon Bert, co-founder
and president, Amazing Grass. He said, "The number one concern is added sugar.
High fructose corn syrup and other processed sweeteners raise the glycemic index
and contribute to escalating diseases like diabetes and obesity. There are many
natural sweeteners like agave and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) that provide
functional taste without contributing to the multitude of health risks
associated from processed sweeteners." Other natural sweeteners include xylitol,
stevia, brown rice syrup and tapioca syrup.
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An alternative sweetener that may not be considered so alternative because it
has been used for thousands of years is natural honey. "Raw honey a great
substitute for sugar in general in children's diets," said Rebeca Krones
co-owner, Tropical Traders Specialty Foods. "It's a great snack, it's a great
energy booster, and it's got vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It has a lot of
glucose, which gives sustain energy for performance. It extends the shelf life
of baked goods and makes them really moist."
Many in the industry say the healthiest sweets for children come right from
Mother Nature. "Sugar, corn syrup, fructose—mainstream children's
products are full of them," said Kerry Williams,
vice president, Pitter Patties. "I am sure there are good natural alternatives
to use instead of them. However, isn't it better to just eliminate them for
kids?"
Ann Cooper, director of nutrition services, Berkley Unified School District,
stated, "Fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains,
that's what kids need," She added in the four years she has been overseeing the
school lunches in her district, the children there are eating three times as
many vegetables and are having fewer behavioral issues.
Theresa Kiene, chief executive mommy, Homemade Baby,
agreed with Cooper. "Mother Nature got it right the first time—she's had
billions of years—and so we don't add anything to our fresh fruits and
vegetables. Over processed foods have an abundance of salt, fat and sugars.
Choosing foods as close to the farm source is best."
Indeed, a shorter ingredient list might be helpful for advising consumers on
what to look for in children's health products, according to Nora Schultz,
president and co-founder, Naturally Nora Inc. "It's easier to educate consumers
to avoid certain ingredients than to teach them about the wide variety of
ingredients in a particular product. There is definitely a trend today toward
eliminating unnecessary or harmful ingredients from children's products."
Jessica Jones-Dille, industry trend manager, WILD Flavors Inc., agreed: "As a
whole, I think parents are more interested in what children's products don't
contain—as long as they still taste good."
Parents are looking for lack of ingredients for safety reasons, said Lou
Paradise, president and CEO, Topical BioMedics. "The safety of all products for
children is most important," he said. "Parents are looking for products that are
free of irritating chemicals, preservatives, fragrances, artificial colors,
petroleum and, on the pain side, no menthol, camphor, capsaicin or methyl
salicylate."
Another reason parents look for the lack of certain ingredients is to avoid
certain allergens. Schultz noted, "There has been a rise in interest in using
gluten-free products. As an example, celiac disease and wheat insensitivity have
gotten a lot of recent media attention and there has been a huge range of new
products launched in response."
Spalding added, "Gluten free is a hot topic right now due to increased
awareness of food allergies and gastrointestinal health. While celiac disease
and irritable bowel syndrome are not diseases that affect a huge portion of the
population, sheer awareness that these conditions exist are prompting consumer
inquiry and research, and thus prompting manufacturers to respond to consumer
need."
The gluten-free market is expanding from basic baking ingredients into easily
prepared dishes children will want to eat. "Gluten-free products started in a
lot of flours and substitute-type products that people could bake at home with,"
said Jessica Hale, chief marketing officer, Glutenfreeda Foods Inc. "Now a lot
of products are expanding into what the mainstream public eats, but tailoring it
toward the gluten-free population."
Children may need to stay away from certain ingredients, but it's in their
nature to want treats they can't have. Fortunately, there are options. For
instance, Wheat Nuts from AnaCon Foods Co., is a nut-like snack product, but
made with wheat germ in a encapsulation process of oil and protein, which is
"very much like the way nuts are designed," said Jane Hallas, director of sales
and marketing, AnaCon Foods. "The wheat germ gives it a nutty flavor and the
process gives it a nutty texture. Nutritionally, it's quite comparable to nuts,
but there are absolutely no nuts in the processing plant or in the product."
One added ingredient parents seem to like in their children's products is
essential fatty acids (EFA). Studies have shown omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs are
crucial to brain development and function.1 Some children and young
adults with developmental difficulties have a deficiency of the long-chain
omega-3s; supplementation with these nutrients can have an impact on their
behavior, concentration and performance.2 In a sample of 393
children, higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at birth were associated
with lower levels of internalizing problem behavior at age 7 years.3
Other studies have shown EFAs may help reduce the risk of depression,4
as well as hyperactivity and autism.5
Joiner-Bey underscored the importance of EFAs for childhood devolvement. She
said: "DHA helps ensure the structural integrity of the membranes of developing
brain nerve cells. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is used to make local hormones
that influence tissue functioning. In the brains of developing children, these
local hormones affect mood, cognitive function, behavior and learning ability.
In addition to fish oil as a source of EPA and DHA, flaxseed oil and its omega-3
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a precursor to EPA, can be very beneficial for
improving mood and behavior in children."
All this good news for EFAs and child devolvement has translated into
products in the natural marketplace. "Long chain omega-3s have been included in
quite a few products like yogurts, gummy bears, milk, orange juice, breads and I
think this trend will continue," said Bob Gonzalez, president, Hearts & Mind
LLC. "There has been a broad amount of developing science that says increasing
the amount of long chain omega-3s might help attention and focus."
Like Parent, Like Child
Parents want the best for their children, it's true, but sometimes they can't
make it happen, even when they know what they should do. "Parents try very hard
to make sure their children get their daily five to nine servings of fruits and
vegetables, but most fall very short of that mark," Kiene said.
It's likely the parents' diets also miss the mark. "If it's becoming
difficult for adults to understand what constitutes a properly portioned
healthful meal for themselves, it's no wonder that most parents feel completely
lost when it come to proper childhood nutrition," wrote Cooper in "Lunch
Lessons."
No matter how hard a parent tries to have a "Do as I say, not as I do"
mentality, children pick up habits, even the bad ones. "A child's diet is often
directly related to their parents' diet, so it starts with the parents
understanding of what foods to consume in moderation and which ones to consume
more of," Bert said. "Sadly, our fast-paced and busy lifestyles often make it
difficult for families to enjoy consistent home-cooked meals."
Luckily, the reverse is also true. "As parents try to live healthier, they
impart actions, thoughts and behaviors to their children," noted Jones-Dille.
But, just because the children follow parents' habits, doesn't always mean
they should be getting the same products as the adults. "Children are little
people, not little adults, and products for them should be free of harmful
chemicals," Paradise said. "Children's products should not be mini versions of
the same chemicals that may or may not be safe for their parents."
Spalding added, "Because children's bodies are constantly developing, their
immune systems may not be able to counteract toxic effects as well as an adult
can."
Some Good News
Switching to healthier and more natural products seems to have positive
effects. A 2006 study showed children and adolescents with poor nutritional
status can correct mental and behavioral functions by changing what they eat.6
In addition, a North Shore Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Manhasset, NY, study
found eliminating dyes and/or preservatives from foods reduced the symptoms of
ADHD by 73 percent and concluded, "Dietary factors may play a significant role
in the etiology of the majority of children with ADHD."7
Kracoff said he sees encouraging signs of change in the direction of
children's health. "I see more people that say, ‘I want to fix the problem and
not just the symptom' and that is very encouraging because the kids haven't been
around long enough to screw them up as much as we are," he said. "It's a lot
easier to fix it and once you fix it, the problem is gone, it's not just
suppressed."
It's not just Kracoff that is looking long term when it comes to children's
health. Paradise added, "Children are the future of the entire planet Earth, we
think their health and freedom of choice is something worth fighting for."
And Neil Grimmer, co-founder and chief innovation officer of Nest Collective,
added, "As a parent, I'm not willing to skimp on the best nutrition that I can
give to my kids. That's an investment that I am willing to make in the long
haul."
Selling Children's Products
In order for products to get on the shelves, children's product makers must
first please retailers. When looking for a children's health product to put in
his pharmacy, Kracoff needs three major things: "One, I need to be assured of
the quality of the product and the research that went behind making it. I can't
just have literature that says ingredients separately will help with a condition
and if you put them all together, it's a super product. A lot of the time when
you put things together, it should work better, but it doesn't work at all.
Second, I need companies that stand behind their products. I want to be able to
guarantee what I sell and I want the manufacturer to back it up to me. And
third, I need a good sales force, which few companies have now, but it's nice
having a person who you can talk to and get information from if there is a
question."
Hodal agreed companies should supply quality products because that is the
best way to create customer loyalty. "All of us in the natural marketplace
should act as if we are manufacturing and selling our products to our own family
and friends and neighbors," he said. "If we did that, I think that there would
be less snake-oil hucksterism and more confidence in what we do and more
contentment among the consumers."
Once quality products are on the shelves, how does a retailer sell to busy
parents? One first step is by engaging the children. Pharmaca, an integrated
pharmacy in Pacific Palisades, CA, has a play area full of nontoxic toys,
stuffed animals made from organic cotton and environmentally friendly books. "It
keeps the kids busy while the mommies are shopping for their products," said the
store's assistant manager, Deborah Locksley Burkhart. "We have a very cool green
‘solar' powered playhouse with all the latest green implements; it's got a
composter, a recycling bin and a windmill on top."
Many retail stores now also offer kids clubs or kids classes. "During these
child-focused in-store events, many retailers take the opportunity to give out
samples of family-friendly products," Schulman said. "This is a great time for
parents and children to taste and be introduced to new items they may ultimately
choose to make a mainstay in their household."
If parents are too busy to partake in in-store activities, some retailers
will go to them. Kracoff, for instance, speaks at mother's groups in his area.
He educates them on alternatives to conventional products and provides samples.
"It takes a lot to time and effort to prepare it properly, but it pays off and
then, all of a sudden, I get calls from everywhere because mothers talk to other
mothers," he said.
Hale suggests retailers contact local groups that center on children.
"Retailers would best market gluten-free products to consumers by working with
the gluten-intolerant support groups, which are all over the country."
Creating sections in stores with a group of children's products may also help
them sell. "Boiron suggests grouping several items together for a ‘healthy
back-to-school' end cap display," said John Durkin, vice president, sales and
marketing, Boiron. "Along with safe, natural children's medicines, the display
should include tissues, hand sanitizers, vitamins, etc. When moms are rushed
looking for back to school supplies, this should remind them to be prepared for
that back-to-school cold too."
And then there are sales. "Putting products on sale is the classic thing that
retailers can do," Gonzalez said.
With all the clubs, speaking events, end caps and sales, consumers expect
retailers to be educated on what is safe for their children. "You really have to
do the education first and have somebody in the store all of the hours that it's
open that can help people because it's knowledge that sells the products,"
Kracoff said.
Some of the hard knocks kids face today may come from the conventional
products provided by the adults that care for them, but the good news is with
quality products and education, retailers can help parents, grandparents and
child caretakers make healthier children. And those healthy children may grow up
to fondly remember taking trips to their local natural products store.
Hydration is key for healthy children, said Ann Cooper, director of nutrition
services, Berkley Unified School District and author of "Lunch Lessons: Changing
the Way We Feed or Children." In her book, she wrote, "Hydration is vital to
total body and brain health for growing kids. Every function of the human body
requires water. Eight glasses a day should be the goal for water-drinking
skeptics and a minimum for experienced water drinkers." But, hydration doesn't
have to come strictly from water, according to Charlene Riikonen, president,
Cera Products Inc. She said Cera Products drinks are formulated to prevent or
correct dehydration. She said their products can be used daily instead of sugary
sports drinks or to aid children experiencing a fever, diarrhea or the flu.
Homeopathic medicines for children are becoming more popular as parents are
looking for safer ways to treat their children's illnesses. "Parents should
consider using a homeopathic medicine as a first option to treat early symptoms
of self-diagnosable illnesses because this genre is one of the safest choices
for self-treatment," said John Durkin, vice president, sales and marketing,
Boiron. "Parents also have the advantage of clear indications and directions
being provided on the box label because homeopathic medicines are regulated as
drugs by FDA."
Luis Cabin, as a pharmacist for Weston Pharmacy in Weston, FL, said he is
comfortable recommending homeopathic products. "Many children are taking
medications and these medications can have interactions with natural products,"
he said. "The best choice obviously would be to go with homeopathic because it
would not interact with what they are currently on."
Mary C. Borneman, media relations and communications manager, Hyland's Inc.,
said more parents are turning to homeopathic medicines for their children
because of safety reasons. "Over the course of the last two years, tremendous
coverage has been given to the ineffectiveness and/or danger that exists with
certain allopathic, or more standard over-the-counter (OTC), medicines for kids,
particularly for cough, cold and flu," she said. "The ingredients of concern in
those products include phenylephrine, diphenhydramine, pseudoephedrine,
clorpheniramine, brompheniramine, dextromethorphan, guaifensisin and doxylamine.
These drugs often suppress symptoms and do not cure the illness. Homeopathic
products do not contain these ingredients."
Some children lack of nutrition, not because their parents are ignorant to
the benefit of vitamins, but because they cannot afford it. According to USDA
and studies by UNICEF, 12.4 million American children suffer from
undernourishment. Two organizations in America reach out to children who cannot
afford the nutrition they need.
Nourish America is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization committed to
improving the health of children, families and seniors at risk for malnutrition
through vitamin supplementation, nourishing foods and health education. Its
Children's First Program serves daily multivitamins and nourishing foods to
almost 30,000 low-income children across 39 states.
"Every day, children who are malnourished are getting vitamins," said Mary
Morton, communications and program director, Nourish America. "They are
definitely feeling better, doing better in school and they are having a better
quality of life. Over our 10-year history, we've reached more than 1 million
children."
The vitamins are donated mostly by Tischcon Corp, which has given up to
14,000 bottles a month, according to Morton. Natural Alternatives International,
GNC, NOW Foods and New Chapter have also made significant vitamin donations.
Each year, Nourish America's parent company, Vitamin Relief USA, conducts a
survey of those who have received vitamins through their program. In 2006, more
than half of the parents reported an increase in energy and appetite in their
children and 36 percent of teachers and 36 percent of parents said the students'
self-esteem improved after taking the vitamins. One out of every four parents
said their children were less depressed, less angry and less aggressive, and
almost one-third of teachers reported an increase in the children's
concentration. In addition, 52 percent of teachers and staff reported less
illness in participating children.
Vitamin Angels is another nonprofit dedicated to getting vitamins to
children, but its work lies mostly abroad. Its two main programs for children
are Operation 20/20 and Thrive to Five.
Operation 20/20 delivers a high dose of vitamin A to 10 million children in
17 countries annually with the goal of eradicating childhood blindness and
decreasing child mortality by the year 2020. "Vitamin A is a micronutrient
essential for proper immune function and maintenance of structural integrity of
cells in humans, cellular structure and a functioning immune system, which are
vital body defenses for reducing the effects of infectious diseases causing
death or disease," said Kim Saam, executive assistant/communications, Vitamin
Angels. "Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major contributing cause to death and
sickness among children under 5 from such common diseases as measles, malaria,
acute respiratory tract infections and diarrhea. An estimated 147 million
children under 5 worldwide are vitamin A deficient, the burden of which is
concentrated in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. Supplementation with vitamin
A alone reduces infant and child mortality by approximately 25 percent."
In addition to giving a vitamin A dose, Vitamin Angels administers
antiparasitic drugs to ensure intestinal worms are eliminated and do not
contribute to malabsorption of vitamin A. "Worms in the child's system can
consume up to 30 percent of their diet, and require vitamin A to grow," said
Saam. "They appear to be better at absorbing vitamin A than the child, setting
up a competition between the child and the parasite."
In the Thrive for Five program, Vitamin Angels provides children under the
age of 5 with a multivitamin to help them thrive physically and cognitively.
They serve those who are malnourished in 11 countries, including the United
States. The multis contain selected vitamins and nutrients (particularly vitamin
A, iron, iodine, folate and zinc).
1. Germano M, et al. "Plasma, red blood cells phospholipids and clinical
evaluation after long chain omega-3 supplementation in children with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)." Nutr Neurosci. 2007
Feb-Apr;10(1-2):1-9.
2. Portwood MM. "The role of dietary fatty acids in children’s behaviour
and learning." Nutr Health. 2006;18(3):233-47.
3. Krabbendam L., et al. "Relationship between DHA status at birth and
child problem behaviour at 7 years of age." Prostaglandins Leukot Essent
Fatty Acids. 2007 Jan;76(1):29-34.
4. Jorm AF, et al. "Effectiveness of complementary and self-help
treatments for depression in children and adolescents." Med J Aust. 2006
Oct 2;185(7):368-72.
5. Amminger GP, et al. "Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation in children
with autism: a double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study."
Biol Psychiatry. 2007 Feb 15;61(4):551-3.
6. Bourre JM. "Effects of nutrients (in food) on the structure and
function of the nervous system: update on dietary requirements for
brain. Part 1: micronutrients." J Nutr Health Aging. 2006
Sep-Oct;10(5):377-85.
7. Boris M, Mandel FS. "Foods and additives are common causes of the attention
deficit hyperactive disorder in children." Ann Allergy. 1994 May;72(5):462-8.
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