Prevalence Of Dietary Supplement Use Research Articles

A systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence of dietary supplement use by military personnel.

BackgroundAlthough a number of studies have been conducted on the prevalence of dietary supplement (DS) use in military personnel, these investigations have not been previously summarized. This article provides a systematic literature review of this topic.MethodsLiterature databases, reference lists, and other sources were searched to find studies that quantitatively examined the prevalence of DS use in uniformed military groups. Prevalence data were summarized by gender and military service. Where there were at least two investigations, meta-analysis was performed using a random model and homogeneity of the prevalence values was assessed.ResultsThe prevalence of any DS use for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps men was 55%, 60%, 60%, and 61%, respectively; for women corresponding values were 65%, 71%, 76%, and 71%, respectively. Prevalence of multivitamin and/or multimineral (MVM) use for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps men was 32%, 46%, 47%, and 41%, respectively; for women corresponding values were 40%, 55%, 63%, and 53%, respectively. Use prevalence of any individual vitamin or mineral supplement for Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps men was 18%, 27%, 25%, and 24%, respectively; for women corresponding values were 29%, 36%, 40%, and 33%, respectively. Men in elite military groups (Navy Special Operations, Army Rangers, and Army Special Forces) had a use prevalence of 76% for any DS and 37% for MVM, although individual studies were not homogenous. Among Army men, Army women, and elite military men, use prevalence of Vitamin C was 15% for all three groups; for Vitamin E, use prevalence was 8%, 7%, and 9%, respectively; for sport drinks, use prevalence was 22%, 25% and 39%, respectively. Use prevalence of herbal supplements was generally low compared to vitamins, minerals, and sport drinks, ≤5% in most investigations.ConclusionsCompared to men, military women had a higher use prevalence of any DS and MVM. Army men and women tended to use DSs and MVM less than other service members. Elite military men appeared to use DSs and sport drinks more than other service members.

Longitudinal trends of dietary supplement use by U.S. Army soldiers differ from the U.S. civilian population (245.6)

Longitudinal trends of dietary supplement (DS) use by civilians are well documented; however, similar data in subpopulations, such as the military, are not available. Therefore, this study assessed longitudinal changes in DS use among U.S. Army Soldiers. Use of DS by Soldiers was assessed in 2006‐2007 (n=989) and again in 2010‐2011(n=1196) using the same survey methods. Data were weighted for total Army demographics by age, sex, and rank. Wald tests were used to assess differences in prevalence of DS use. Changes in use of DS were compared to trends reported for the U.S. population. Unlike civilians, DS use by Soldiers increased significantly (53% + 1.6 vs. 62% + 1.6; p = <.001) over the past 3 years. Increases were primarily due to increased use of protein (19% + 1.2 vs. 26% + 1.5; p = <.001) and combination (9% + 1.1 vs. 24% + 1.4; p = <.001) products. As with the U.S. civilian population, multivitamin and mineral use did not significantly increase, but use of individual vitamins and minerals including iron, magnesium, selenium, Vitamins A, B6, B12, and D did increase (p=<.05). Herbal DS use by Soldiers did not increase (8% + 1.0 vs. 8% + 1.0; p =.93) and was less than use among civilians (~20%). Patterns of DS use by Soldiers differ from civilians and Soldiers’ use of some DS is increasing.Grant Funding Source: (Support: US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command and DoD Center Alliance for Dietary Supplement

Use of select dietary supplements among individuals with diabetes or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

AbstractBackgroundPrior research on the use of dietary supplements (DSs) has examined the characteristics of users compared to non‐users; however, most studies have generally surveyed healthy populations and have not asked whether users discuss their DS intake with their healthcare providers.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to characterise the use of select DSs among individuals with chronic disease, and to assess the degree to which they discussed DS use with their healthcare provider.MethodsA telephone survey was administered to a subset of individuals who were subsequently randomised into a larger clinical trial. Participants were asked about the frequency and types of DS used, with electronic medical records used to capture clinical characteristics. Participants were aged ≥40 years and had diabetes mellitus or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.ResultsAmong the 833 survey respondents, 56.3% of respondents reported daily DS use. Daily DS users were more likely to be older, female, have lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and better medication adherence. The most commonly used supplements were multivitamins, omega 3 supplements and vitamin D. Approximately one‐third of users reported that they had not discussed DS use with their healthcare provider.ConclusionsGiven the high prevalence of DS use in this population, it is critical that healthcare providers discuss DS use with their patients so that the safety and health of these patients are not compromised.

Dietary supplement use of early childhood population in Korea: Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (2007‐2009) (LB468)

Relative to the increasing trend of dietary supplement intake in Korea and many other countries, few studies have been conducted in Korea, especially studies targeting early childhood population. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of dietary supplement use in accordance with the demographic and dietary characteristics using data from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV (2007‐2009). The study included 1,608 subjects aged 1‐5 years who responded to 24h diet recall. The most frequently consumed type of dietary supplement was multi‐vitamin and mineral products. The prevalence of taking dietary supplement was 41.7% and the supplement users distributed more in higher level of household income. There were no significant differences in the distribution of genders and residential areas according to the dietary supplement use. Nutrients obtained from dietary intake alone were higher in dietary supplement users than non‐users in macronutrients, several vitamins and minerals. However, the differences were disappeared after controlling for household income and energy intakes. Therefore, nutrition and health effect of additional nutrients from dietary supplement were expected. Further studies are needed to assess the dietary supplement use on the growth and health in Korean early childhood population.Grant Funding Source: supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning(grant no. 2013R1A1A2057600)

Comparison of dietary supplement intake reporting between the Automated Self‐Administered 24‐Hour Recall (ASA24) and Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM) recalls (245.2)

Objective: To compare dietary supplement use reported on self‐administered (ASA24) versus interviewer‐administered (AMPM) 24‐hour recalls.Methods: About 1200 women and men were recruited from three integrated health systems using quota sampling to capture a range of ages and racial/ethnic backgrounds. Participants were randomized into four groups and asked to complete two recalls: 1) two ASA24s; 2) two AMPMs; 3) ASA24 first, AMPM second; 4) AMPM first, ASA24 second. Dietary supplements were coded using the 2007‐2008 NHANES Dietary Supplement Database. Difference in prevalence of reported supplement use was tested using a Chi‐square test.Results: Food and supplement data were complete for 1089 participants. Prevalence of use of any dietary supplement on either day was not significantly different by recall mode overall (47.8% for AMPM (n=1022) vs.48.5% for ASA24 (n=1012); p=0.82) or within sex, age, or race/ethnicity groups. Among supplement users, the prevalence of reported multivitamin use was significantly higher on AMPM compared to ASA24 (65.9% vs. 57.2%; p <0.01). In ASA24, 50 participants reported 114 supplements as “unknown”, meaning they were unable to find their supplement in the ASA24 database.Discussion: The ASA24 performs similarly to AMPM for estimating overall prevalence of dietary supplement use. Significant differences found in the reporting of multivitamins specifically could be related to the number of unknown supplements reported in ASA24. Coding of text entered for supplements not found in ASA24 may be necessary to obtain accurate prevalence of supplement type and nutrient estimates. Based on these findings, future versions of ASA24 will include questions when unknown supplements are reported for the purpose of assigning reasonable default supplement codes.

Consumer Usage and Reasons for Using Dietary Supplements: Report of a Series of Surveys

Objective: Consumer usage of dietary supplements is prevalent in the United States, and total usage is higher than reported in recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), because these surveys capture usage only in the 30 days prior to the respondent's interview and do not capture occasional and seasonal use throughout the year. We report data from a series of consumer surveys on the full extent of dietary supplement use, on the reasons for supplement use, and on the products most commonly taken, as well as other health habits of supplement users. Methods: The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade association of the dietary supplement industry, has contracted with Ipsos Public Affairs to conduct consumer surveys annually since 2000. The surveys have been administered online since 2007 to about 2000 subjects each year. We report 5 years of data (2007 to 2011) on the prevalence of dietary supplement use, as well as more detailed data from the 2011 survey on the products used, the reasons for using supplements, and other health habits of supplement users. Results: The prevalence of supplement use fluctuated within the range of 64% to 69% from 2007 to 2011, and the prevalence of regular supplement use ranged from 48% to 53%, with no statistically significant differences from year to year. Over the 5-year period, the percentage of respondents who said that they regularly used a variety of supplements increased from 28% to 36%, and the increase from 2010 to 2011 was statistically significant. The percentage of respondents who said that they regularly used only a multivitamin, as opposed to a variety of supplements, declined from 24% to 17%, and the decrease from 2007 to 2008 was statistically significant. Detailed results from the 2011 survey confirm that supplement use increases with age and is higher in women than in men. Vitamin or mineral supplements were used by 67% of all respondents in 2011, specialty supplements by 35%, botanicals by 23%, and sports supplements by 17%. Among supplement users, multivitamins were the most commonly used supplement (71%), followed by omega-3 or fish oil (33%), calcium (32%), vitamin D (32%), and vitamin C (32%). The reasons most often cited for supplement use were for overall health and wellness (58%) and to fill nutrient gaps in the diet (42%). Supplement users were significantly more likely than nonusers to say that they try to eat a balanced diet, visit their doctor regularly, get a good night's sleep, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy weight. Conclusions: Annual consumer surveys over a period of 5 years show that dietary supplement use is somewhat more prevalent in the United States than has been reported in the NHANES surveys, when occasional and seasonal use are taken into account, in addition to regular use. Most dietary supplement users take a multivitamin, and many take a variety of products. The primary reasons given for supplement use are for overall health and wellness or to fill nutrient gaps. Users of dietary supplements are more likely than nonusers to adopt a variety of healthy habits, indicating that supplement use is part of an overall approach to living healthy.

Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use in Healthy Pre-School Chinese Children in Australia and China

There is a growing use of dietary supplements in many countries including China. This study aimed to document the prevalence of dietary supplements use and characteristics of Chinese pre-school children using dietary supplements in Australia and China. A survey was carried out in Perth, Western Australia of 237 mothers with children under five years old and 2079 in Chengdu and Wuhan, China. A total of 22.6% and 32.4% of the Chinese children were taking dietary supplements in Australia and China, respectively. In China, the most commonly used dietary supplements were calcium (58.5%) and zinc (40.4%), while in Australia, the most frequently used types were multi-vitamins/minerals (46.2%) and fish oil (42.3%). In Australia, “not working”, “never breastfeed”, “higher education level of the mother” and “older age of the child” were associated with dietary supplement use in children. In China, being unwell and “having higher household income” were significantly related to dietary supplement usage. Because of the unknown effects of many supplements on growth and development and the potential for adverse drug interactions, parents should exercise caution when giving their infants or young children dietary supplements. Wherever possible it is preferable to achieve nutrient intakes from a varied diet rather than from supplements.

Is dietary supplementation more common among adults with psoriasis? Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Individuals with psoriasis are often unsatisfied with traditional medical treatments and may be more likely to use dietary supplements as alternative or complementary treatment. Limited data is available on the prevalence of dietary supplement use amongst individuals with psoriasis in the general population. The aim was to utilize a representative sample of the United States to estimate the prevalence of dietary supplement use among adults self-reporting psoriasis. Cross-sectional data analysis from the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Dietary supplementation over the past 30 days was ascertained and population weights were used to obtain estimates representative of the general population. Logistic regression was used to determine whether psoriasis was associated with higher odds of supplement use. This study consisted of 6211 participants aged ≥20 years (representing 219 million Americans). Among the 184 participants reporting psoriasis (representing 6.9 million Americans), 53% reported using at least one dietary supplement, which was not different from participants without psoriasis (49.5%, P=0.416). Participants with psoriasis did not have higher odds of supplement use after adjusting for covariates. Multivitamin/mineral supplements were the most common dietary supplements used by participants with psoriasis (29.6%), and the most common reasons for taking them were to maintain and improve health. Only 12 supplements taken by participants with psoriasis were intended to improve skin health. Dietary supplementation over the past 30 days was reported by half of adults with psoriasis amongst the United States general population. Few individuals with psoriasis took dietary supplements specifically to improve skin health.

Predictors of dietary supplement use among female health workers in Tehran.

BackgroundDespite the lack of evidence on the necessity of dietary supplements to meet nutrients requirements, the majority of people use them all over the world. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with supplement use in women who work in health centers in the city of Tehran.MethodsFive hundred sixty three female health workers participated in a cross-sectional study carried out in 2010 in health centers of Tehran. Weight, height, and waist circumference were measured and body mass index was calculated. Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and dietary supplement use were collected by interviewing. The analysis was conducted using univariate and multivariate logistic regression (MLR) in SPSS version 16.ResultsThe prevalence of dietary supplement use was 53.8%. In univariate logistic regression model, age, education, husband’s education, duration of employment, and tendency for changing weight at the time of the study were statistically significant predictors (P < 0.05). After MLR analysis, education (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.05-1.17) and duration of employment (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06) remained significant in the model. Women with higher education and longer duration of employment had more tendency to use nutrient supplements.ConclusionOur findings showed that education and duration of employment were the most important predictors for taking dietary supplements in this population.

Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use in Korean Children and Adolescents: Insights from Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2009

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of dietary supplement (DS) use in Korean children and adolescents and to examine the related factors associated with DS use from the 4th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Total 6,131 participants aged between 2 and 18 yr were included in the analysis. We estimated the prevalence of DS use mainly from the DS questionnaire data of the Nutrition Survey. Reported supplements were classified according to the Health Functional Food Code. We also assessed the relationship between DS use and anthropometry, socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, and chronic diseases. Approximately 34% of Korean children and adolescent was taking DS. Younger age (P = 0.003), higher household income (P < 0.001), presence of chronic diseases (P = 0.05), regular meal consumption (P = 0.002), frequent snack consumption (P = 0.001), and normal body mass index rather than overweight (P = 0.10) or obesity (P = 0.03) were associated with the DS use after adjustment for related factors. Vitamin/mineral supplements (343.5/103 persons) were the most commonly taken DS in Korean children and adolescents, followed by Omega-3 (28.8), ginseng (18.3), colostrums (14.1) and chlorella/spirulina (10.0). In conclusion, DS use is common as much as in 34% of Korean children and adolescents and is associated with age, household income level, chronic diseases, meal regularity, and obesity status.

Prevalence of Dietary Supplement Use in Patients with Proven or Suspected Cardiovascular Disease

Systematic search of bibliographic databases was conducted to describe the prevalence of dietary supplement use in cardiac patients. Included for review were studies that investigated supplement use in people with cardiovascular risk factors or proven cardiovascular disease. Databases searched were Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Meditext, H&S and IPA. Over five hundred articles were retrieved and twenty studies met the criteria for this review. Dietary supplements were taken by a median 36% (interquartile range: 26–42%) of cardiac patients; 36% (IQR 18–43%) reported taking a vitamin/mineral supplement and 12% (IQR 7–21%) used herbal supplements. Many users indicated that supplements were taken specifically for heart health and 16–64% of users reported using supplements alongside prescription medications. However 39–95% of treating physicians were unaware of patients' supplement use. Dietary supplement use in patients with cardiovascular disease appears common, as does the concurrent use of supplements with prescription medicines. This information is often not communicated to doctors and treating physicians may need to be more proactive in asking about supplement use.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Dietary Supplement Interactions with Medication

The potential for interaction between dietary supplements and medications has been reported to range from as low as 21% to as high as 46% in recent studies evaluating concomitant use. Despite a high rate of dietary supplement interactions with medications, it may be as few as 29% that have clinical significance, and these can be attributed to a small number of dietary supplements that account for 68% of all interactions identified in one report. Familiarity with this information is important to geriatric care givers and providers, because of the increasing prevalence of dietary supplement use with age and disposable income. In a survey of older adults on the United States–Mexico border, authors reported that 38.5% were taking 5 or more medications, and 16.2% of these were taking 2 or more dietary supplements. Among the older adults taking medications and dietary supplements, 49% were at risk of a drug–drug interaction and 31.5% were at risk of a dietary supplement–drug interaction. Usage of dietary supplements was evaluated in a cross-sectional sample of assisted living residents, aged 84.8 years with an average of 10 years of education, from 2 facilities in Washington and Oregon. On average, residents used 3.4 dietary supplements. The potential for misuse was identified in 51%, duplication between supplements or with medications was identified in 70% of residents and potential drug–disease–dietary supplement interaction was present in 21%. Forty percent of these residents turned to nurses or physicians for information regarding dietary supplements, just behind family and friends (49%). In the Mayo Clinic outpatient population of 1795 adults averaging 55 years of age, there were 107 dietary supplement–drug interactions of potential clinical significance identified in 710

High dietary supplement intakes among Flemish preschoolers

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of dietary supplement use among Flemish preschoolers and to investigate associations between dietary supplement use and socio-economic variables of the parents. Parentally reported 3-day estimated dietary records ( n = 696) were used to calculate mean daily nutrient intakes, using Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (Cside). Socio-demographic information and frequency of dietary supplement use were collected via parental questionnaires, including a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) ( n = 1847). The results from the FFQ revealed that more than 30% of the children used dietary supplements in the past month. Children of more highly educated parents and children of non-smokers were significantly more likely to use supplements than their counterparts. The types most frequently used were multi-vitamin/mineral supplements. Except for vitamin D, mean dietary intakes derived from foods alone was higher than the minimum recommendations for both supplement and non-supplement users. The youngest group of supplement users even exceeded the tolerable upper intake level for zinc (7 mg). However, for vitamin D, dietary supplements could help meet dietary recommendations for this micronutrient. In conclusion, the results indicated that dietary supplement use by healthy children who typically achieve their micronutrient requirements by foods alone could cause excessive intakes. Future studies should investigate potential harms and benefits of dietary supplementation use among preschoolers.

Use of dietary supplements and medication among postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms

Objectives To assess how postmenopausal women with severe vasomotor symptoms who volunteer for an acupuncture trial (ACUFLASH) differ from the general population (the Norwegian Women and Cancer study, NOWAC); and to describe the use of dietary supplements and medication during trial intervention and follow-up.Methods Questionnaire data on postmenopausal women regarding demography and use of dietary supplements and medication were compared between the ACUFLASH trial (baseline, 2006–2007, n = 267) and the NOWAC study (2004–2005, n = 331). Additionally, the trial intervention groups, acupuncture and self-care (n = 134) or self-care alone (n = 133), were compared regarding supplements and medication use.Results The prevalence of dietary supplement use was higher among women with severe vasomotor symptoms (83.9%) than in the population-based sample (74.3%), with particularly extensive use of cod liver oil. The prevalence of medication use was 46.4% in ACUFLASH and 55.0% in NOWAC. Trial participants reported poorer self-reported health, higher education level and tended to be former oral contraceptive users and smokers. At trial baseline, 48.5% of the acupuncture group and 60.3% of the self-care group used dietary supplements (p > 0.05), while 48.5% in the acupuncture group and 45.0% in the self-care group used medication (p > 0.05). Use of supplements for vasomotor symptoms increased significantly in the self-care group at 12 weeks, while it remained unchanged in the acupuncture group. Hormone therapy use increased significantly in both groups after intervention.Conclusion Postmenopausal women suffering severe vasomotor symptoms used more dietary supplements than the general population. They also had poorer self-reported health, but their medication use was similar to that of the general population. Acupuncture did not influence use of dietary supplements in the randomized intervention.

Physicians and nurses use and recommend dietary supplements: report of a survey

BackgroundNumerous surveys show that dietary supplements are used by a large proportion of the general public, but there have been relatively few surveys on the prevalence of dietary supplement use among health professionals, including physicians and nurses. Even less information is available regarding the extent to which physicians and nurses recommend dietary supplements to their patients.MethodsAn online survey was administered in October 2007 to 900 physicians and 277 nurses by Ipsos Public Affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade association representing the dietary supplement industry. The health professionals were asked whether they used dietary supplements and their reasons for doing so, and whether they recommend dietary supplements to their patients.ResultsThe "Life...supplemented" Healthcare Professionals Impact Study (HCP Impact Study) found that 72% of physicians and 89% of nurses in this sample used dietary supplements regularly, occasionally, or seasonally. Regular use of dietary supplements was reported by 51% of physicians and 59% of nurses. The most common reason given for using dietary supplements was for overall health and wellness (40% of physicians and 48% of nurses), but more than two-thirds cited more than one reason for using the products. When asked whether they "ever recommend dietary supplements" to their patients, 79% of physicians and 82% of nurses said they did.ConclusionPhysicians and nurses are as likely as members of the general public to use dietary supplements, as shown by comparing the results of this survey with data from national health and nutrition surveys. Also, most physicians and nurses recommend supplements to their patients, whether or not the clinicians use dietary supplements themselves.

Factors Related to the Use of Dietary Supplements by Cancer Survivors

Estimates of the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among cancer survivors vary widely. Dietary supplements are an important CAM therapy to examine because of their potential to interact with conventional cancer therapies. We estimated the prevalence of dietary supplement use in a population-based sample of cancer survivors of the 10 most common cancers and examined potential correlates of use. This cross-sectional analysis included participants from the American Cancer Society's longitudinal Study of Cancer Survivors-I recruited in Connecticut who completed self-administered baseline and supplemental questionnaires. Using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, we examined demographic, clinical, and psychosocial predictors of dietary supplement use after cancer diagnosis. Of the 827 cancer survivors, 573 (69.3%) reported using dietary supplements after their cancer diagnosis. Female gender [odds ratio (OR) = 1.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.25-2.36] and higher-education levels (OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 2.98-9.93) were significantly associated with supplement use. Common reasons for using dietary supplements included "something they could do to help themselves" (56.2%) and "to boost their immune system" (51.1%). Most survivors (82.4%) informed their physician of their supplement use. Patients obtained information from a variety of sources including physicians, friends or family, and magazines or books. Use of dietary supplements after cancer diagnosis was quite common among this population-based sample of cancer survivors. Although gender and education were associated with use, it is important that clinicians discuss supplement use with all cancer survivors.

Methodologic differences in dietary supplements data collection and processing between the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) and the continuous NHANES (1999‐2006)

Dietary supplement data has been collected for many years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Over time, the methods used to collect self‐reported information on dietary supplement use have changed within NHANES. For example, different questions have been asked at different time periods. In addition, the methods of attaining and coding ingredient information about the supplement products have also changed. An example is the use of different methods for assigning default strengths to single and multiple nutrient/ingredient products. The overall prevalence of dietary supplement use increased from 41.3% (NHANES III) to 53.4% (NHANES 2003‐2006). The purpose of this study was to determine if it is possible to quantify how much (if any) of this observed increase in dietary supplement use might be due to the changes in collection, processing and coding of the data that occurred between the two survey time periods.

Physicians and nurses use and recommend dietary supplements: report of a survey

There have been relatively few surveys on the prevalence of dietary supplement use among physicians and nurses, or the extent to which they recommend dietary supplements to their patients. An online survey was administered in October 2007 to 900 physicians and 277 nurses by Ipsos Public Affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), a trade association representing the dietary supplement industry. The "Life…supplemented" Healthcare Professionals Impact Study (HCP Impact Study) found that 72% of physicians and 89% of nurses used dietary supplements regularly, occasionally, or seasonally. Regular use of dietary supplements was reported by 51% of physicians and 59% of nurses. The most common reason given for using dietary supplements was for overall health and wellness (40% of physicians and 48% of nurses), but more than two‐thirds cited more than one reason for using the products. When asked whether they "ever recommend dietary supplements" to their patients, 79% of physicians and 82% of nurses said they did. Physicians and nurses are as likely as the general public to use dietary supplements, and many recommend supplements to their patients. Funded by CRN.

Use of Dietary Supplements for Weight Loss in the United States: Results of a National Survey

We examined dietary supplement use for weight loss and perceptions about safety, efficacy, and regulatory oversight of these products. A random digit-dialed telephone survey was conducted in 2005-2006, with a representative sample of 3,500 US adults. The survey assessed the beliefs and practices related to weight control. Outcome measures included the prevalence of dietary supplement use for weight reduction, demographic profile of supplement users, and knowledge about safety, efficacy, and regulation of dietary supplements. Of the adults who made a serious weight-loss attempt (n = 1,444), 33.9% reported ever using a dietary supplement for weight loss. Supplement use was more common among women (44.9%) vs. men (19.8%); those aged 25-34; African Americans (48.7%) or Hispanics (41.6%) vs. whites (31.2%); less educated (38.4% high school degree or less vs. 31.1% some college or more); lower income households (41.8% made <$40K vs. 30.3% made > or =$40K); obese (40.7%) vs. overweight (29.1%); those who made more lifetime weight-loss attempts (42.0% made > or =3 vs. 22.1% made <3); and those who used more weight-loss methods (48.2% used > or =4 vs. 25.2% used <4). Many users and non-users of dietary supplements had misperceptions about these products-many believed they are evaluated for safety and efficacy by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before marketing, and that dietary supplements are safer than over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications. Use of dietary supplements for weight loss is common. More information about dietary supplements is necessary to correct misperceptions and encourage the use of safe and effective weight-loss methods.

Factors and common conditions associated with adolescent dietary supplement use: an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

BackgroundLittle is known about the prevalence of dietary supplement (DS) use in American adolescents. We conducted this study to analyze the prevalence of DS use and factors associated with this use in a national population-based sample.MethodsWe used data from the 1999 – 2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) for adolescents age 11 to 19. Using weighted logistic regression, we identified demographic and clinical factors associated with the use of any DS, vitamins or minerals, herbs and other DS.ResultsAmong the 5,306 responses representing approximately 36 million Americans 11–19 years old, 27% reported use of one or more DS in the prior month. The most commonly used DS were: multivitamins (16%) and vitamin C (6%). In the multivariable analysis, African American [adjusted odds ratio 0.40 (0.31–0.50) 95% CI] and Mexican American [0.55 (0.44–0.69)] adolescents were less likely to use DS compared with non-Hispanic whites. DS use was more common in those who used prescription medications [1.37 (1.10–1.72)] and among those who had a diagnosis of chronic headaches [1.25 (1.04–1.50)]. DS use was less common among those reporting fair or poor health status [0.59 (0.40–0.88)].ConclusionTwenty seven percent of American adolescents use DS. DS use is higher among teens that use prescription medications; physicians and pharmacists should be aware of this, ask patients, and check for potential interactions.