NEW HYDE PARK, NY – Teens posing as consumers were able to purchase over-the-counter diet supplements and received advice from staff at health food stores – even though the products are clearly marked for adult use only.
It is legal for minors to buy these products in 49 states, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends youngsters not take them.
The result of this and other studies led by researchers at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New York recently were presented at the Pediatric Academic Society’s meeting in San Diego.
The concerns of the researchers include minors not being educated about risks involved in taking diet supplements, that there are health risks in taking the supplements and that staff selling the supplements may not be experts in their use, risks and side effects.
As an example, 41 percent of sales associates told callers identifying themselves as 15 years old they could purchase testosterone boosters on their own (see the study Over-the-Counter Testosterone Boosters and Underage Teens: Easy Access and Misinformation Provided by National Retailers).