Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation Practices of Active Duty Army Personnel Worldwide.

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To identify and quantify supplement usage in a population of young to middle-aged individuals who are motivated toward good health and fitness practices due to job requirements. Recent nutrition monitoring data suggest that 35-40% of adult Americans took dietary supplements between 1988 and 1991. The most commonly used of these were multi-vitamin/mineral or individual vitamin/mineral supplements. The current nutrition survey was distributed by Army dietitians to over 3,000 active duty Army soldiers at 42 Army installations in 5 countries (US, Panama, Germany, South Korea, and Hungary) from April 1996-February 1997, and 2,954 were completed and returned. Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages and the Chi-Square test. The survey contained a section with nine separate identifiers for dietary supplements (multiple, individual, antioxidant, amino acids/proteins, herbal, weight gain, weight loss, sports bars, other). Profile of the sample was very representative of the Army population. The following population characteristics were examined: gender, ethnic groups, military rank, fitness level, Body Mass Index (BMI), education level, military occupation, and meal provider. Forty percent of all soldiers reported taking some type of dietary supplement on a regular (weekly) basis. The most frequently used category of supplements was multi-vitamins. Female soldiers were more likely to take multi-vitamin supplements (p<.001), while male soldiers used significantly more amino acids (p<.001), protein powders (p<.01), and carbohydrate sports bars (p<.001). Female soldiers used significantly more weight loss supplements (p<.001). Fewer soldiers eating in dining facilities took multi-vitamins than soldiers responsible for their own meals (p<.001). The profile of a multi-vitamin user in the Army is less than 29 years old, Caucasian, physically fit, college educated, a BMI <30, and eats meals outside of a military dining facility. These data confirm that soldiers are supplementing their diets in similar proportions to the general adult population.