Malnutrition of children and food supplements: a bibliometric approach
Main Article Content
Keywords
Abstract
Food supplements are used to eliminate nutritional deficiencies in children, increase immunity, minimize the risk of health problems, and support their growth and development. Both synthetic and natural food supplements can be used for malnourished children according to age, physiological needs, and current health status. For this reason, a comprehensive review of studies on food supplements used against malnutrition in children—from past to present—to determine trends, research gaps, and prominent themes in the literature is of great importance. In this study, research and review articles addressing malnutrition and food supplements in the context of children were examined using the bibliometric analysis method. The research data were obtained from the Web of Science database, and the keywords “malnutrition*” AND “supplement*” AND “child*” were entered in the relevant search section. A total of 2,972 articles including the concepts of malnutrition, supplement, and child were identified. The analysis of these articles was conducted according to year of publication, journals, keywords, countries, and frequently used concepts using the Bibliometrix R package. It was determined that the most publications were from the USA (n=3743), United Kingdom (n=1081), India (n=1054), Canada (n=507), and Australia (n=498), and that these countries produced the most articles between 2024 and 2025. Studies on the use of food supplements, especially in children, will raise awareness among parents who prefer to use food supplements and thus contribute to the healthy growth, development, and adequate nutrition of children.
References
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Bailey, R. L., Gahche, J. J., Thomas, P. R., & Dwyer, J. T. (2013). Why US children use dietary supplements. Pediatric Research, 74(6), 737–741. https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2013.160
Barretto, J. R., Gouveia, M. A. D. C., & Alves, C. (2024). Use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents. Jornal de Pediatria, 100(Suppl 1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2023.09.008
Beasley, N. M. R., Hall, A., Tomkins, A. M., Donnelly, C., Ntimbwa, P., Kivuga, J., Kihamia, C. M., Lorri, W., & Bundy, D. A. P. (2000). The health of enrolled and non-enrolled children of school age in Tanga, Tanzania. Acta Tropica, 76(3), 223–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-706X(00)00101-7
Bullock, A. F., Greenley, S. L., McKenzie, G. A. G., Paton, L. W., & Johnson, M. J. (2020). Relationship between markers of malnutrition and clinical outcomes in older adults with cancer: Systematic review, narrative synthesis and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74(11), 1519–1535. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0629-0
Chowdhury SSA, Kundu S, Jahan I, Dey R, Sharif AB, Hossain A. 2024. Trends and socioeconomic inequalities in receiving vitamin A supplementation among children aged 6–59 months in Bangladesh: Analysis of nationwide cross-sectional data from 2004 to 2017. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 7(2): e000944 https://doiorg/101136/bmjnph-2024-000944
Davis MA, Martin BI, Coulter ID, Weeks WB. 2013. US spending on complementary and alternative medicine during 2002–08 plateaued, suggesting role in reformed health system. Health Affair 32(1): 45–52. https://doiorg/101377/hlthaff20110321
De P, Chattopadhyay N. 2019. Effects of malnutrition on child development: Evidence from a backward district of India. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health 7(3): 439–445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2019.01.014
Donthu N, Kumar S, Mukherjee D, Pandey N, Lim WM (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of business research 133: 285-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). (2020). Scientific opinion on the safety of vitamin D in food supplements. EFSA Journal, 18(7), 6136. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6136
Elmadfa, I., & Meyer, A. L. (2022). Vitamins and minerals: Recommended intakes and safety limits. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 78(3), 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524505
Erland, L. A., & Saxena, P. K. (2017). Melatonin natural health products and supplements: Presence of serotonin and significant variability of melatonin content. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(2), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6462
Geller, A. I., Shehab, N., Lovegrove, M. C., Kegler, S. R., Weidle, N. J., Wolpert, B. J., & Budnitz, D. S. (2020). Emergency department visits for adverse events related to dietary supplements. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(7), 659–667. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1900489
Gibney, M. J., Walsh, M. C., Brennan, L., Roche, H. M., German, J. B., & van Ommen, B. (2022). Personalised nutrition: Paving the way to better population health. British Journal of Nutrition, 127(4), 421–432. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114521003363
Imdad, A., Rogner, J., Sherwani, R. N., Sidhu, J., Regan, A., Haykal, M. R., Tsistinas, O., Smith, A., Chan, X. H. S., Mayo-Wilson, E., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3(3), CD009384. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009384.pub3
İkiz, S., & Keskin, M. (2024). Bee products as a food supplement in childhood nutrition and health. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, 36, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3897/ejfa.2024.135690
Kasemodel, M. G. C., Makishi, F., Souza, R. C., & Silva, V. L. (2016). Following the trail of crumbs: A bibliometric study on consumer behavior in the food science and technology field. International Journal of Food Studies, 5(1), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.7455/ijfs/5.1.2016.a7
Kiguli, S., Olupot-Olupot, P., Hamaluba, M., Giallongo, E., Thomas, K., Alaroker, F., … Maitland, K. (2024). Nutritional supplementation in children with severe pneumonia in Uganda and Kenya (COAST-Nutrition): A phase 2 randomised controlled trial. Clinical Medicine, 72, 102640. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102640
Kirolos, A., Goyheneix, M., Eliasz, M. K., Chisala, M., Lissauer, S., Gladstone, M., & Kerac, M. (2022). Neurodevelopmental, cognitive, behavioural and mental health impairments following childhood malnutrition: A systematic review. BMJ Global Health, 7(7), e009330. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009330
Martini, L., Pecoraro, L., Salvottini, C., Piacentini, G., Atkinson, R., & Pietrobelli, A. (2020). Appropriate and inappropriate vitamin supplementation in children. Journal of Nutritional Science, 9, e20. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2020.12
Mason, P., Bailey, R. L., & Stover, P. J. (2021). Dietary supplements: Benefits, risks, and regulatory challenges. Nutrients, 13(5), 1558. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051558
Mihatsch, W., Thome, U., & Saenz de Pipaon, M. (2021). Update on calcium and phosphorus requirements of preterm infants and recommendations for enteral mineral intake. Nutrients, 13(5), 1470. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051470
National Institutes of Health. (2021). Dietary supplements: What you need to know. Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WYNTK-Consumer/
Precious, F. K., Owhor, G. A., Opeyemi, M. O. A., Igwe, S. C., Beauty, O. C., Sy, F. A. R., Yepes, P. I. G., Ayuba, D., Ogaya, J. B., & Lucero-Prisno, D. E. (2023). Why nutrition programs for children remain important. Advances in Food Security and Sustainability, 8, 187–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.af2s.2023.08.002
Ran, L., Zhao, W., Wang, H., Zhao, Y., & Bu, H. (2020). Vitamin C as a supplementary therapy in relieving symptoms of the common cold: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials. BioMed Research International, 2020, 8573742. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8573742
Reggi, D., Alessio, G., Ndereyimana, A., Minuti, A., Spigno, G., & Bertoni, G. (2024). Ready-to-use supplementary-food biscuit production with low-cost ingredients for malnourished children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Foods, 13(11), 1614. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13111614
Rishi, M. A., Khosla, S., & Sullivan, S. S. (2023). Public safety and the Public Awareness Advisory Committees of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2023) health advisory: Melatonin use in children. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 19(2), 415. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.10332
Ríos-Hoyo, A., & Gutiérrez-Salmeán, G. (2016). New dietary supplements for obesity: What we currently know. Current Obesity Reports, 5(2), 262–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0214-y
Suryawan, A., Jalaludin, M. Y., Poh, B. K., Sanusi, R., Tan, V. M. H., Geurts, J. M., & Muhardi, L. (2022). Malnutrition in early life and its neurodevelopmental and cognitive consequences: A scoping review. Nutrition Research Reviews, 35(1), 136–149. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422421000159
Swanson, D., Block, R., & Mousa, S. A. (2012). Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: Health benefits throughout life. Advances in Nutrition, 3(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.111.000893
Szajewska, H., Berni Canani, R., Domellöf, M., Guarino, A., Hojsak, I., & Indrio, F. (2023). Special Interest Group on Gut Microbiota and Modifications (2023) probiotics for the management of pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 76(2), 232–247. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000003633
Venigalla, W. C., Nirmala, C., Harshita, C., & Meghi, S. R. (2024). A study of the prevalence of anemia in children with severe acute malnutrition at a pediatric tertiary care hospital in South India. Cureus, 16(8), e67657. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.67657
Wierzejska, R. E. (2021). Dietary supplements – For whom? The current state of knowledge about the health effects of selected supplement use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 8897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178897
World Health Organization. (2024). Malnutrition. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
World Health Organization. (2022). Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine. https://www.who.int/health-topics/traditional-complementary-and-integrative-medicine
Woźniak, D., Przysławski, J., Banaszak, M., & Drzymała-Czyż, S. (2022). Dietary supplements among children ages 0–3 years in Poland – Are they necessary? Foods, 12(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010016
Ayalew, M., Bayray, A., Bekele, A., & Handebo, S. (2020). Nutritional status and educational performance of school‐aged children in Lalibela town primary schools, northern Ethiopia. International Journal of Pediatrics, 2020(1), 5956732. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/5956732
Bailey, R. L., Gahche, J. J., Thomas, P. R., & Dwyer, J. T. (2013). Why US children use dietary supplements. Pediatric Research, 74(6), 737–741. https://doi.org/10.1038/pr.2013.160
Barretto, J. R., Gouveia, M. A. D. C., & Alves, C. (2024). Use of dietary supplements by children and adolescents. Jornal de Pediatria, 100(Suppl 1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jped.2023.09.008
Beasley, N. M. R., Hall, A., Tomkins, A. M., Donnelly, C., Ntimbwa, P., Kivuga, J., Kihamia, C. M., Lorri, W., & Bundy, D. A. P. (2000). The health of enrolled and non-enrolled children of school age in Tanga, Tanzania. Acta Tropica, 76(3), 223–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-706X(00)00101-7
Bullock, A. F., Greenley, S. L., McKenzie, G. A. G., Paton, L. W., & Johnson, M. J. (2020). Relationship between markers of malnutrition and clinical outcomes in older adults with cancer: Systematic review, narrative synthesis and meta-analysis. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74(11), 1519–1535. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-0629-0
Chowdhury SSA, Kundu S, Jahan I, Dey R, Sharif AB, Hossain A. 2024. Trends and socioeconomic inequalities in receiving vitamin A supplementation among children aged 6–59 months in Bangladesh: Analysis of nationwide cross-sectional data from 2004 to 2017. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 7(2): e000944 https://doiorg/101136/bmjnph-2024-000944
Davis MA, Martin BI, Coulter ID, Weeks WB. 2013. US spending on complementary and alternative medicine during 2002–08 plateaued, suggesting role in reformed health system. Health Affair 32(1): 45–52. https://doiorg/101377/hlthaff20110321
De P, Chattopadhyay N. 2019. Effects of malnutrition on child development: Evidence from a backward district of India. Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health 7(3): 439–445. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cegh.2019.01.014
Donthu N, Kumar S, Mukherjee D, Pandey N, Lim WM (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of business research 133: 285-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). (2020). Scientific opinion on the safety of vitamin D in food supplements. EFSA Journal, 18(7), 6136. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6136
Elmadfa, I., & Meyer, A. L. (2022). Vitamins and minerals: Recommended intakes and safety limits. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 78(3), 171–180. https://doi.org/10.1159/000524505
Erland, L. A., & Saxena, P. K. (2017). Melatonin natural health products and supplements: Presence of serotonin and significant variability of melatonin content. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 13(2), 275–281. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.6462
Geller, A. I., Shehab, N., Lovegrove, M. C., Kegler, S. R., Weidle, N. J., Wolpert, B. J., & Budnitz, D. S. (2020). Emergency department visits for adverse events related to dietary supplements. New England Journal of Medicine, 382(7), 659–667. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMsa1900489
Gibney, M. J., Walsh, M. C., Brennan, L., Roche, H. M., German, J. B., & van Ommen, B. (2022). Personalised nutrition: Paving the way to better population health. British Journal of Nutrition, 127(4), 421–432. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114521003363
Imdad, A., Rogner, J., Sherwani, R. N., Sidhu, J., Regan, A., Haykal, M. R., Tsistinas, O., Smith, A., Chan, X. H. S., Mayo-Wilson, E., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2023). Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3(3), CD009384. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD009384.pub3
İkiz, S., & Keskin, M. (2024). Bee products as a food supplement in childhood nutrition and health. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, 36, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3897/ejfa.2024.135690
Kasemodel, M. G. C., Makishi, F., Souza, R. C., & Silva, V. L. (2016). Following the trail of crumbs: A bibliometric study on consumer behavior in the food science and technology field. International Journal of Food Studies, 5(1), 73–83. https://doi.org/10.7455/ijfs/5.1.2016.a7
Kiguli, S., Olupot-Olupot, P., Hamaluba, M., Giallongo, E., Thomas, K., Alaroker, F., … Maitland, K. (2024). Nutritional supplementation in children with severe pneumonia in Uganda and Kenya (COAST-Nutrition): A phase 2 randomised controlled trial. Clinical Medicine, 72, 102640. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102640
Kirolos, A., Goyheneix, M., Eliasz, M. K., Chisala, M., Lissauer, S., Gladstone, M., & Kerac, M. (2022). Neurodevelopmental, cognitive, behavioural and mental health impairments following childhood malnutrition: A systematic review. BMJ Global Health, 7(7), e009330. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-009330
Martini, L., Pecoraro, L., Salvottini, C., Piacentini, G., Atkinson, R., & Pietrobelli, A. (2020). Appropriate and inappropriate vitamin supplementation in children. Journal of Nutritional Science, 9, e20. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2020.12
Mason, P., Bailey, R. L., & Stover, P. J. (2021). Dietary supplements: Benefits, risks, and regulatory challenges. Nutrients, 13(5), 1558. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051558
Mihatsch, W., Thome, U., & Saenz de Pipaon, M. (2021). Update on calcium and phosphorus requirements of preterm infants and recommendations for enteral mineral intake. Nutrients, 13(5), 1470. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13051470
National Institutes of Health. (2021). Dietary supplements: What you need to know. Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/WYNTK-Consumer/
Precious, F. K., Owhor, G. A., Opeyemi, M. O. A., Igwe, S. C., Beauty, O. C., Sy, F. A. R., Yepes, P. I. G., Ayuba, D., Ogaya, J. B., & Lucero-Prisno, D. E. (2023). Why nutrition programs for children remain important. Advances in Food Security and Sustainability, 8, 187–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.af2s.2023.08.002
Ran, L., Zhao, W., Wang, H., Zhao, Y., & Bu, H. (2020). Vitamin C as a supplementary therapy in relieving symptoms of the common cold: A meta-analysis of 10 randomized controlled trials. BioMed Research International, 2020, 8573742. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8573742
Reggi, D., Alessio, G., Ndereyimana, A., Minuti, A., Spigno, G., & Bertoni, G. (2024). Ready-to-use supplementary-food biscuit production with low-cost ingredients for malnourished children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Foods, 13(11), 1614. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13111614
Rishi, M. A., Khosla, S., & Sullivan, S. S. (2023). Public safety and the Public Awareness Advisory Committees of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2023) health advisory: Melatonin use in children. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 19(2), 415. https://doi.org/10.5664/jcsm.10332
Ríos-Hoyo, A., & Gutiérrez-Salmeán, G. (2016). New dietary supplements for obesity: What we currently know. Current Obesity Reports, 5(2), 262–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-016-0214-y
Suryawan, A., Jalaludin, M. Y., Poh, B. K., Sanusi, R., Tan, V. M. H., Geurts, J. M., & Muhardi, L. (2022). Malnutrition in early life and its neurodevelopmental and cognitive consequences: A scoping review. Nutrition Research Reviews, 35(1), 136–149. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422421000159
Swanson, D., Block, R., & Mousa, S. A. (2012). Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA: Health benefits throughout life. Advances in Nutrition, 3(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.111.000893
Szajewska, H., Berni Canani, R., Domellöf, M., Guarino, A., Hojsak, I., & Indrio, F. (2023). Special Interest Group on Gut Microbiota and Modifications (2023) probiotics for the management of pediatric gastrointestinal disorders. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 76(2), 232–247. https://doi.org/10.1097/MPG.0000000000003633
Venigalla, W. C., Nirmala, C., Harshita, C., & Meghi, S. R. (2024). A study of the prevalence of anemia in children with severe acute malnutrition at a pediatric tertiary care hospital in South India. Cureus, 16(8), e67657. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.67657
Wierzejska, R. E. (2021). Dietary supplements – For whom? The current state of knowledge about the health effects of selected supplement use. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 8897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18178897
World Health Organization. (2024). Malnutrition. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
World Health Organization. (2022). Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine. https://www.who.int/health-topics/traditional-complementary-and-integrative-medicine
Woźniak, D., Przysławski, J., Banaszak, M., & Drzymała-Czyż, S. (2022). Dietary supplements among children ages 0–3 years in Poland – Are they necessary? Foods, 12(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010016
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İkiz, S., Gönüllü, K., & Keskin, M. (n.d.). Malnutrition of children and food supplements: a bibliometric approach. Italian Journal of Food Science, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.15586/
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How to Cite
İkiz, S., Gönüllü, K., & Keskin, M. (n.d.). Malnutrition of children and food supplements: a bibliometric approach. Italian Journal of Food Science, 38(1). https://doi.org/10.15586/