2/4 NYTIMES POST

The article "Children Who Take Vitamins Often Don't Need Them", was very interesting. This article came about after researchers concluded that children who needs vitamins don't take them, but the children who takes them don't necessarily need them. A study was conducted on children between the ages 2-17 starting in 1999 and ending in 2004. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results was starling to Dr. Ulfat Shaikh, a pediatrician who specializes in nutritional problems. The results showed that kids who came from "upper-income" families didn't need vitamin supplements because they consumed enough fiber, milk, and less cholesterol, while those who came from lower-income families was the complete opposite. My thoughts are all children should take vitamins, whether they're poor or rich. In the article it was said that (paraphrasing) money was the reason why poor kids wasn't taking vitamins, and I have to disagree. Although, I believe of course money can have an effect, I also believe it has to do with ones own knowledge and/or beliefs to what they define as being healthy. Wealthy and poor people definition of being healthy may and more than likely be different. A wealthy person may believe eating the right foods, drinking milk, and taking vitamins are what's going to keep their child healthy, whereas someones whose poor might believe that as long as their child has something to eat and drink everyday they are considered healthy. Overall, vitamins are beneficial for everyone.