Peer-to-Peer Social Media Communication About Dietary Supplements Used for Weight Loss and Sports Performance Among Military Personnel: Pilot Content Analysis of 11 Years of Posts on Reddit.

Kendall J Sharp,Julia A Vitagliano,Suzanne E Dahlberg,Susan Fitzgerald,Elissa R Weitzman,S Bryn Austin

doi:10.2196/28957

Kendall J Sharp, Julia A Vitagliano + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.2196/28957

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Abstract

BackgroundOver 60% of military personnel in the United States currently use dietary supplements. Two types of dietary supplements, weight loss and sports performance (WLSP) supplements, are commonly used by military personnel despite the associated serious adverse effects such as dehydration and stroke.ObjectiveTo understand peer-to-peer communication about WLSP supplements among military personnel, we conducted a pilot study using the social media website, Reddit.MethodsA total of 64 relevant posts and 243 comments from 2009 to 2019 were collected from 6 military subreddits. The posts were coded for year of posting, subreddit, and content consistent with the following themes: resources about supplement safety and regulation, discernability of supplement use through drug testing, serious adverse effects, brand names or identifiers, and reasons for supplement use.ResultsA primary concern posted by personnel who used supplements was uncertainty about the supplements that were not detectable on a drug test. Supplements to improve workout performance were the most frequently used.ConclusionsOur pilot study suggests that military personnel may seek out peer advice about WLSP supplements on Reddit and spread misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of these products through this platform. Future directions for the monitoring of WLSP supplement use in military personnel are discussed.

Highlights

The dietary supplement market in the United States is enormous and steadily growing, with a projected $56.7 billion in annual revenue by 2024 [1]
Our pilot study suggests that military personnel may seek out peer advice about weight loss and sports performance (WLSP) supplements on Reddit and spread misinformation about the safety and effectiveness of these products through this platform
Recent estimates suggest that approximately 52% of the adult population [2] and 60%-70% of military personnel [3] in the United States have used dietary supplements

Summary

Introduction

The dietary supplement market in the United States is enormous and steadily growing, with a projected $56.7 billion in annual revenue by 2024 [1]. Recent estimates suggest that approximately 52% of the adult population [2] and 60%-70% of military personnel [3] in the United States have used dietary supplements. A meta-analysis by Santos et al [4] found that approximately 10% of the adult population in the United States has used dietary supplements for weight loss [4]. Sports performance supplements are marketed with claims that these increase energy, improve sports or workout performance, and build muscle. These performance supplements are popular among military personnel, who have reported higher use of these types of supplements than civilians [5]. Two types of dietary supplements, weight loss and sports performance (WLSP) supplements, are commonly used by military personnel despite the associated serious adverse effects such as dehydration and stroke

Methods

Results

Conclusion