Attitudes towards and use of dietary supplementation in a sample of postmenopausal women

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the reason why people take food supplements in addition to or in place of medication, as well as the perceived efficacy and risk of these supplements.Methods: A20-item, computer-assisted telephone questionnaire was administered to 442 women over 60 years of age in Hull, to assess the prevalence of use and perception of efficacy and safety of food supplements.Results: Data were available for 411 women, of whom 269 (65.4%) were currently taking food supplements, 76 (18.5%) were previous users and 66 (16%) were never-users. There was no difference interms of age, smoking, consumption of fruit and vegetables, life-style and attitude towards conventional medicine between current or past users of supplements and never-users. The majority of users (n= 229, 66%) thought that food supplements help maintain good health (p < 0.001). Overall long-term (5 years) adherence was achieved in 244 cases of supplement uses (36%). Among users, 150 (43%)thought that supplements were very effective, and 171 (49.5%) women had noticed an improvement of various symptoms. Although the majority of users (n = 176, 51%) believed that supplements might haveadverse effects, over 66% would not associate side-effects with the food supplement. Information regarding supplements was obtained primarily from the media, particularly magazine and newspaper articles(27%), with health professionals rarely being consulted (16%).Conclusions: Users believed supplements to be effective, although possibly with associated side-effects. However, they would notattribute adverse effects experienced to this form of treatment. Medical practitioners and health professionals are rarely informed or consulted, leaving potentially dangerous side-effects of food supplementsto go unreported.