Reported Supplement Use Research Articles

Use of over-the-counter supplements, sleep aids and analgesic medicines in rheumatology: results of a cross-sectional survey.

Pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances are common symptoms in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) that may prompt the use of over-the-counter (OTC) supplements, sleep aids and analgesics as self-management strategies. This study evaluated the prevalence of OTC supplements, sleep aids and pain relievers and the financial burden associated with their use in rheumatology. A web-based survey developed with patients was administered in rheumatology clinics in an English hospital. Participants shared demographic information and detailed their use of OTC supplements, sleep aids and pain relief in the past week. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to identify influencing factors. A total of 876 people consented to participate in the survey. More than half of patients (54.5%) reported daily supplement intake, typically spending £10/month (interquartile range 5-20), ranging up to £200/month. The most commonly administered supplements were vitamin D, multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin B/B complex and omega-3/-6 supplements, with multiple overlaps. Prescription, OTC or non-prescription pain relief use was reported by 82% of respondents, with sleep aids being used by 13%. Of the 327 patients who took NSAIDs, 165 (50.4%) also reported taking OTC supplements, while among the 131 patients using opioids (20.5%), 66 (50.3%) reported supplement use, some of which have documented interactions. The use of OTC supplements, pain relief and sleep aids is common in patients with RMDs. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to proactively ask about these during consultations, especially from a drug safety perspective, but also to provide timely, reliable advice about such strategies that may be sought by patients.

The use of dietary supplements, and the association between supplemental vitamin D and glycaemic control in adult individuals with type 1 diabetes.

To assess the dietary supplement use in adult individuals with type 1 diabetes, and to study the association between vitamin D supplementation and glycaemic control in an observational cross-sectional study. The study subjects were participants of the Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study. Data were included from all individuals with type 1 diabetes with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2, who had completed a diet questionnaire. In the questionnaire, the participants reported dietary supplement use for the past 30 days. A thorough investigation with an assessment of the blood panel was conducted at the study visit. Data were available from 1181 individuals (43% men, mean ± SD age 45 ± 13 years). Altogether 62% of the sample reported supplement use; 56% reported some vitamin or mineral and 27% reported non-vitamin and non-mineral supplement use. Supplement use was more frequent among women and those supplementing had better overall health. In the study sample, of the vitamins and minerals, vitamin D (45%) and magnesium (31%), respectively, were the most frequently reported. In the multivariable models, vitamin D supplementation was associated with better glycaemic control. Starting from a daily dose of ≥30 μg, there was evidence of improving glycaemic control with higher doses of supplemental vitamin D (e.g., for 30 μg: B [Wald Confidence Internal], p-value, -2.76 [-5.03 to -0.49], 0.017). Supplement use was frequent in this sample of adult individuals with type 1 diabetes. Due to potential drug-supplement interactions, the attending physicians should be aware of their patients' supplement use. The causality between vitamin D supplementation and glycaemic control should be assessed in a randomized controlled trial.

Changes in Reported Dietary Supplement Use in Cognitively Normal National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Participants Aged 55 and Older From 2015 to 2019

BackgroundAlthough reported dietary supplement use is common in older adults, evaluations of dietary supplement use over the past 10 y are lacking. ObjectiveThis analysis determined changes in reported dietary supplement use in cognitively normal older adults (aged ≥ 55 y) using the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center data from 2015 to 2019 using a serial cross-sectional study design. MethodsThe first available visit for cognitively normal participants aged ≥ 55 y from 2015 to 2019 with a complete medication form was used, resulting in 9357 participants. Associations between visit year categories and reported use of dietary supplement categories/individual supplements were tested using categorical statistics. To determine whether the probabilities of reported supplement use changed in 2019 compared with those of 2015, z-scores and two-sided P values were used. Weighted analyses were used to confirm analytical findings. ResultsWhen comparing 2015 and 2019, the reported use of any dietary supplement decreased from 77.7% in 2015 to 71.0% in 2019 (P < 0.0001); any vitamin from 72.5% to 65.5% (P < 0.0001); any mineral from 39.2% to 30.4% (P < 0.0001); “other” nonvitamin/nonmineral supplements from 34.4% to 26.9% (P < 0.0001), calcium from 31.2% to 21.7% (P < 0.0001), multivitamins from 48.4% to 38.4% (P < 0.0001), potassium from 5.6% to 3.5% (P = 0.001), vitamin C from 13.0% to 9.2% (P = 0.0002), chondroitin from 6.0% to 4.1% (P = 0.006), glucosamine from 11.1% to 6.5% (P < 0.0001), and all omega fatty acids from 25.2% to 17.0% (P < 0.0001). Reported use increased for vitamin B7/biotin from 3.1% in 2015 to 5.8% in 2019 (P = 0.0003), melatonin from 3.1% to 5.8% (P = 0.0002), and turmeric from 1.2% to 4.7% (P < 0.0001). ConclusionAlthough the reported use of many major dietary supplement categories and individual supplements significantly decreased in older adults from 2015 to 2019, biotin, turmeric, and melatonin significantly increased. Because biotin may interfere with some laboratory tests, this may have important public health implications.

Association between folate and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among US adults: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis.

Association between folate and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among US adults: a nationwide cross-sectional analysis.

Development of a Multibiomarker Panel of Healthy Eating Index in United States Adults: A Machine Learning Approach

BackgroundDietary and nutritional biomarkers are objective dietary assessment tools that will enable a more accurate and precise determination of diet-disease relations. However, the lack of established biomarker panels for dietary patterns is concerning, as dietary patterns continue to be the focus of dietary guidelines. ObjectivesWe aimed to develop and validate a panel of objective biomarkers that reflects the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) by applying machine learning approaches to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. MethodsCross-sectional population-based data (eligible criteria: age ≥20 y, not pregnant, no reported supplement use of dedicated vitamin A, D, E, or fish oils; n = 3481) from the 2003 to 2004 cycle of the NHANES were used to develop 2 multibiomarker panels of the HEI, 1 with (primary panel) and 1 without (secondary panel) plasma FAs. Up to 46 blood-based dietary and nutritional biomarkers (24 FAs, 11 carotenoids, and 11 vitamins) were included for variable selection using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator controlling for age, sex, ethnicity, and education. The explanatory impact of selected biomarker panels was assessed by comparing the regression models with and without the selected biomarkers. In addition, 5 comparative machine learning models were constructed to validate the biomarker selection. ResultsThe primary multibiomarker panel (8 FAs, 5 carotenoids, and 5 vitamins) significantly improved the explained variability of the HEI (adjusted R2 increased from 0.056 to 0.245). The secondary multibiomarker panel (8 vitamins and 10 carotenoids) had lesser predictive capabilities (adjusted R2 increased from 0.048 to 0.189). ConclusionsTwo multibiomarker panels were developed and validated to reflect a healthy dietary pattern consistent with the HEI. Future research should seek to test these multibiomarker panels in randomly assigned trials and identify whether they have broad application in healthy dietary pattern assessment.

Dietary Supplement Use among Older Cancer Survivors: Socio-Demographic Associations, Supplement Types, Reasons for Use, and Cost.

Most Americans take dietary supplements (DSs) and use is even higher among cancer survivors. This secondary analysis seeks to identify types, reasons, and costs of supplements used by 367 older cancer survivors enrolled in the Harvest for Health vegetable gardening trial and evaluate associations between supplement intake and medical/socio-demographic factors. Descriptive statistics were used to identify supplement type and reasons for use. Average market price was used to estimate cost. Fifty-nine percent of the sample reported supplement use. Female (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.35–3.30), non-Hispanic White (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.05–3.0), and breast and gynecological survivors (OR 1.57, 1.03–2.38) were significantly more likely to report DS use compared to males, minorities, and survivors of other cancers. Use of vitamins (39%), multivitamins (23%), and minerals (12%) were the most prevalent. Commonly reported reasons for supplement use were to improve general health (47%) or treat medical conditions (39%) and cancer-related symptoms (12%). DSs daily costs ranged from USD 0.02 to 19.81, with a mean of USD 1.28 ± 1.74, a median of USD 0.78, and a mode of USD 0.34. DS use is prevalent among older cancer survivors, with overall health reported as the leading reason for use. Out-of-pocket recurrent costs can be substantial and underscore the need to promote a nutrient-rich diet whenever possible in this vulnerable population.

Dietary Habits and Self-Reported Health Measures Among Norwegian Adults Adhering to Plant-Based Diets.

BackgroundAs plant-based diets is increasing, we aimed to investigate dietary habits, dietary motivation and self-reported health of Norwegian adults who adhere to different types of plant-based diets.MethodsIn 2020, 808 subjects (530 women and 278 men) participated in an online survey, including vegans (8%), lacto-ovo vegetarians (16%), pescatarians (23%), and flexitarians (53%).ResultsHalf of the participants reported to consume fruits daily, three quarters consumed vegetables daily, and one quarter consumed whole grain products daily. Half of the participants reported weekly consumption of sweets and salted snacks, and 10% reported daily consumption of sugary drinks. Daily consumption of milk and dairy substitutes were reported by vegans (49%), lacto-ovo vegetarians (33%), pescatarians (32%), and flexitarians (25%). Daily consumption of meat replacement products was reported by vegans (3%), lacto-ovo vegetarians (5%), pescatarians (2%). Reported supplement use was highest among vegans (62%) and lowest among flexitarians (28%). Dietary motivations were driven by environmental (71%), health (64%), and animal welfare (49%) concerns, across all dietary groups. 75% reported their self-perceived health to be good or very good.ConclusionWe found that Norwegian adults adhering to plant-based diets consumed less fruit, vegetables, and whole grain products, together with more sugar than recommended in the Norwegian dietary guidelines. The participants reported their self-perceived health to be good or very good.

Food and nutrient intake in dietary supplement users: a nationwide school-based study in Japan.

Dietary supplements can be used to compensate for an inadequate diet. However, some studies indicate that supplement users consume healthier diets than non-users, although such data are lacking in Japanese children. The aim of the present study was to investigate the food and nutrient intake of dietary supplement users among school-aged children in Japan. A nationwide school dietary survey was conducted at fourteen elementary schools and thirteen junior high schools in twelve prefectures in Japan. Three-day non-consecutive semi-weighed dietary records were obtained on two weekdays and one weekend day. Analysis of covariance was performed to investigate differences in food and nutrient intake from meals consumed at school and outside of school between dietary supplement users and non-users, adjusted for socio-demographic and health-related characteristics. Of the 910 children included in this analysis, 80 (8⋅8 %) reported supplement use. Based on 3-d dietary records, dietary supplement users consumed higher mean amounts of oils and lower amounts of fruits and vegetables than non-users. In school lunches, users consumed significantly higher amounts of oils and lower amounts of protein than non-users. In meals consumed outside of school, dietary supplement users consumed significantly higher amounts of confectioneries and lower amounts of fruits and vegetables, folate, vitamin C and dietary fibre than non-users. Collectively, our findings indicate that dietary supplement users consumed less healthy diets than non-users. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these results and identify factors contributing to poorer dietary habits in supplement users.

Nutrition and health-seeking practices during pregnancy and lactation and potential strategies to increase micronutrient intakes among women in northern Lao PDR.

Access to and utilisation of antenatal care (ANC) is important for optimising health and nutrition during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess adherence to and factors associated with ANC and antenatal supplement use among Laotian women, and consider culturally appropriate strategies to increase micronutrient intakes. Mother-child (aged 21 d to <18 months) dyads (n 699) enrolled in a hospital-based prospective cohort study with the community comparison group in Luang Prabang province were interviewed about their antenatal history, supplement use, household sociodemographic and dietary practices, including postpartum food avoidances. Ninety percent of women (mean age 24⋅7 ± 6⋅3 years) reported receiving ANC during their pregnancy, with the majority reporting four to seven contacts, while 84⋅6 and 17⋅3% reported supplement use during pregnancy and lactation, respectively. Adequate ANC contacts (≥8) and supplement use was more likely among women with complete primary education and from higher socioeconomic status households, and less likely among women belonging to ethnic minority populations and those who delivered their child at home. All women continued to consume salt while adhering to postpartum food avoidances; however, 58⋅5 and 38⋅7% of habitual consumers restricted fish and soy sauces, respectively. Eighty-six percent of women reported they would be willing to take supplements when adhering to postpartum dietary restrictions. Overall, women's reported ANC attendance and antenatal supplement use was suboptimal. Understanding predictors of and barriers to ANC and supplement use may help implement effective public health strategies to improve adherence. Alongside targeted supplementation, salt fortification with micronutrients may be a viable population-wide intervention that needs further evaluation.

Associations Between Health Status, Training Level, Motivations for Exercise, and Supplement Use Among Recreational Runners

Dietary supplement use continues to increase, with athlete use surpassing non-athlete utilization. Most research has been conducted on dietary supplement use in elite or collegiate-level athletes. This study investigated supplement use in adult recreational runners and determined relationships between supplement use and participants’ training volume, motivations for exercise, self-reported health status, and reasons for using dietary supplements. Participants (n = 283) were recruited for this cross-sectional study via a convenience sampling method. Participants completed an electronic questionnaire using Likert-scale response options. Correlations between the aggregate variables of health status, training level, exercise motivation, reasons for using supplements, and supplement use were calculated using bivariate Pearson correlation analysis. There was a positive correlation between the variables exercise motivation and supplement use (r = 0.267, n = 276, p = 0.01), and between variables influencing reasons for using dietary supplements and reported supplement use was also found (r = 0.425, n = 276, p = 0.01). There was no correlation between health status and supplement use (r = 0.043, n = 275, p = 0.476), or between training level and supplement use (r = 0.00, n = 275, p = 0.994). This study demonstrated a positive correlation between runners’ supplement use and motivations for exercising and reasons for consuming supplements. A significant relationship was not found between supplement use and participants’ health status or supplement use and runners’ training volume. This finding contrasts with previous research in supplement use in the athlete population, which largely reports increased dietary supplement use with increased training volume.

Inadequate iodine intake is associated with subfecundity in mild-to-moderately iodine deficient Norwegian women

AbstractIodine is an essential micronutrient and an integral part of the thyroid hormones. In women of childbearing age, the estimated average iodine requirement is 95 μg/day and the recommended daily intake is 150 μg/day. While severe iodine deficiency poses reproductive risks, including infertility and abortions, the potential impact of mild-to-moderate iodine deficiency on subfecundity is unknown.We examined whether iodine intake was associated with risk of subfecundity (i.e. &gt; 12 months trying to get pregnant) in a large cohort of mild-to-moderately iodine deficient women.Women enrolled in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study in gestational week 15 were asked to report whether the pregnancy was planned and how many months the couple had sexual relations without any contraception before getting pregnant. Information about time to pregnancy, maternal characteristics and iodine intake was available for 56,416 planned pregnancies. The median (interquartile range) time to pregnancy was 1.5 (0.5–6.0) months and the prevalence of subfecundity was 10.8%). We used iodine intake assessed by a validated food frequency questionnaire administered in pregnancy as a proxy for long-term (pre-pregnancy) iodine intake. We used logistic regression to estimate the association between iodine intake and subfecundity, using flexible modelling with restricted cubic splines, and adjusted for maternal age, BMI, parity, education, smoking status, energy intake and fiber intake. The median calculated iodine intake was 121 μg/day and the median urinary iodine concentration in a subsample of n = 2795 women was 69 μg/L.The prevalence of subfecundity was lowest for iodine intakes ~100 μg/day and increased at lower intakes (p overall = 0.005). Compared to an intake of 100 μg/day (reference), intakes ~75 μg/day was associated with 5% (95%CI: 1%, 9%) higher prevalence and intakes ~50 μg/day with 14% (95%CI: 4%, 26%) higher prevalence. Use of dietary supplements was recorded only for the last 6 months prior to conception and women were included in the analysis regardless of their reported supplement use. In a sensitivity analysis, we excluding women who reported iodine-containing supplement use in the period 26–9 weeks before conception and the result remained unchanged. We also modelled time to pregnancy by Cox regression, and the result was consistent with the result for subfecundity.The only good dietary sources of iodine in Norway are milk and white fish, and many women of fertile age have low intakes of these food items. This study shows that low habitual iodine intake may be a risk factor for subfecundity.

Diet and nutrition support after a pelvic cancer diagnosis: a cross-sectional study.

AbstractA cancer diagnosis serves as a teachable moment for patients to consider lifestyle changes to cope with treatment and for future health. Diet and nutrition is an important, yet neglected aspect of survivorship care. Patients diagnosed with a cancer in the pelvis (anal, bladder, rectal and cancers of the reproductive organs) may benefit from dietary modifications that could improve quality of life and may influence survival. This project aims to explore pelvic cancer patients’ dietary habits and experiences of nutrition support in cancer care.People who have been diagnosed with a pelvic cancer and either undergoing (n = 266) or having completed radiotherapy treatment 6–24 months previously (n = 405) were invited to fill in a survey about their current dietary habits and nutritional support received after diagnosis. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.Respondents [n = 251; mean (SD) age 68.8 (10.5) years] reported high obesity rates (63% classified as overweight or obese) and presence of treatment side effects (82%) and comorbidities (75%). There was no significant difference in obesity rates, presence of side effects or comorbidities between on-treatment and post-treatment patients (P &gt; 0.01 for all comparisons). Two thirds of respondents (n = 170) reported at least one dietary change since diagnosis and 31% (n = 77) reported supplement use. However, the number of respondents who reported a change per food group was low. Most notable changes included increased intake of vegetables (33%), fruit (33%) and oily fish (29%) and reduction of sugary foods (48%), alcohol (41%) and processed meats (40%). Forty-three percent reported receipt of dietary advice from the healthcare team; mainly leaflets from cancer specialist nurses. Receipt of dietary support from the healthcare team was a significant predictor of dietary change (OR 4.02, 95% CI: 2.01–8.05). Thirty-two percent of respondents (n = 79) reported looking for advice from other sources, with the internet being the most popular (66% of them looked at medical and/or charity websites). Survivors were interested in receiving dietary support in relation to weight management, management of side effects and future health; however, they were uncertain of the benefits of diet in improving low appetite and the feeling of fatigue.Results from this study highlight an increased need for dietary support in pelvic cancer populations post-treatment. Emphasis should be given to the role of the healthcare team in the delivery of nutritional information to influence patients make healthy dietary choices.

Comparing Reported Dietary Supplement Intakes between Two 24-Hour Recall Methods: The Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool and the Interview-Administered Automated Multiple Pass Method

BackgroundThe Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool (ASA24) includes a highly standardized multipass web-based recall that, like the Automated Multiple Pass Method (AMPM), captures detailed information about dietary intake using multiple probes and reminders to enhance recall of intakes. The primary distinction between ASA24 and AMPM is that the ASA24 user interface guides participants, thus removing the need for interviewers. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to compare dietary supplement use reported on self-administered (ASA24-2011) vs interviewer-administered (AMPM) 24-hour recalls. DesignThe Food Reporting Comparison Study was an evaluation study designed to compare self-reported intakes captured using the self-administered ASA24 vs data collected via interviewer-administered AMPM recalls. Between 2010 and 2011, 1081 women and men were enrolled from three integrated health care systems that belong to the National Cancer Institute–funded Cancer Research Network: Security Health Plan Marshfield Clinic, Wisconsin; Henry Ford Health System, Michigan; and Kaiser Permanente Northern California, California. Quota sampling was used to ensure a balance of age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Participants were randomly assigned to four groups, and each group was asked to complete two dietary recalls: group 1, two ASA24s; group 2, two AMPMs; group 3, ASA24 first and AMPM second; and group 4, AMPM first and ASA24 second. Dietary supplements were coded using the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Dietary Supplement Database. Analyses used the two one-sided tests, known as TOST, to assess equivalence of reported supplement use between methods. ResultsComplete 24-hour dietary recalls that included both dietary and supplement intake data were available for 1076 participants (507 men and 569 women). The proportions reporting supplement use via ASA24 and AMPM were 46% and 43%, respectively. These proportions were equivalent, with a small effect size of less than 20%. There were two exceptions in subgroup analyses: reported use among those 40 to 59 years of age and reported use by non-Hispanic black subjects were higher for ASA24 than AMPM. ConclusionsThis study provides evidence that there is little difference in reported supplement use by mode of administration (ie, interview-administered vs self-administered recall).

An Examination of Supplement Use in Volunteer Firefighters

Firefighter personnel are trained to respond to emergencies and are essential to community safety. Though dietary supplementation use can improve overall health and performance, limited information exists on supplement use among firefighters. Understanding supplement use may aid in health and physical performance. PURPOSE: To explore supplement use in volunteer firefighters. METHODS: A national sample of 363 volunteer firefighters (aged 18-77, 38.1 ± 12.5 years, 79.3% male, 95% Caucasian) in a wellness program were surveyed on their frequency and reasons for supplement use over the past six months. Questions asked about supplements such as multivitamins/minerals, individual vitamins (e.g. Vitamin C, Vitamin D), individual minerals (calcium, iron), performance enhancers (glutamine, CoQ10), sports bars/gels, and energy drinks. Stata version 15 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of those reporting supplement use, 78 reported using only one supplement, while 277 reported using multiple supplements. Performance enhancers were used by 31 participants (8.5%) at least twice a week; reasons for consumption included increased physical performance, improved overall health, and to prevent health problems. Multivitamin/mineral supplements were consumed by 132 firefighters (36.4%) at least twice a week; reasons for consumption included improved overall health, prevent health problems, and increase heart health (cholesterol/blood pressure). Sports bars/gels were used by 86 firefighters (23.7%) at least twice a week; reasons for sports included increased physical performance, improved overall health, and to lose weight. Energy drinks were consumed by 124 firefighters (34.2%) at least twice a week; reasons for consumption included increased physical performance, cognitive function, and relaxation/stress/mental health. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, most firefighters who reported supplement use did so for improvements in overall health and to prevent health problems. Interestingly, firefighters in this study reported higher overall supplement usage than other tactical athlete populations (i.e, military personnel: 55-61%). Future investigations should examine the usage and effectiveness of performance enhancing supplements on health and occupational performance in firefighters.

Evaluation of Dietary Intakes and Supplement Use in Elite Paralympic Athletes

The Paralympic Games are highly competitive and athletes need to maximize performance, one crucial aspect of which is nutrition. Dietary intakes and supplement use in high‐performance, athletes with physical disabilities remain largely unexplored and specialized recommendations are lacking. Consequently, these athletes may be at risk for nutritional deficiencies and supplement misuse. The aim of this study is to assess nutritional intakes, dietary supplementation patterns, and sources of dietary supplement information in Canadian athletes with physical disabilities. Male (n=18) and female (n=22) athletes were recruited from various Paralympic sports across Canada through sporting organizations, coaches, and social media. Males had significantly greater total energy intakes than females (male=2092 kcal/day; female=1602 kcal/day, p=0.013). Males had greater protein intakes based on body weight than females (p=0.0017), while fat and carbohydrate intakes were similar in both genders. Females consumed a significantly greater percentage of their total calories from sugar as compared to males (p=0.049). Athletes' intakes met or exceeded the majority of recommended daily allowances (RDA) for vitamins and minerals, with the exception of vitamin D, vitamin E, and magnesium. Males did not meet the RDA for folate and vitamin A, while females did not meet the RDA for iron and calcium. Athletes did not meet the AI for pantothenic acid and potassium. Females had significantly lower percent of the recommendations for calcium (p=0.031), selenium (p=0.016), and iron (p&lt;0.001) as compared to males. Supplement use is high in this population; 100% of males and 91% of females reported supplement use within the past three months. Males most regularly used sports bars, protein powder, and sport drinks, while females most regularly used vitamin D, protein powder, and fatty acids. Significant differences were noted in branched chain amino acids, as males were more likely to use this supplement (p=0.008). The top three reasons for taking supplements were “stay healthy,” “increase energy,” and “medical.” Sources of dietary supplements were reported as dietician/nutritionist, medical physician (doctor), and athletic trainer. In conclusion, elite Paralympic athletes tend to consume diets that are adequate in most macro‐ and micronutrients with a high usage of dietary supplements. Future studies should evaluate impairment levels on energy and macronutrient intakes to work towards recommendations and to adequately educate and support these athletes.Support or Funding InformationFunded by a Mount Royal University Innovation Grant (J.P.) and the National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (J.S.).This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Multivitamin supplementation and pregnancy complications and outcomes: An analysis of the environments for healthy living birth cohort.

Adequate maternal health and nutrition have long been considered important to a healthy pregnancy, with use of a pregnancy specific multivitamin widely recommended to prevent disorders such as neural tube defects and support the maternal system manage the stresses of pregnancy. Recent cohort studies have suggested that the use of multivitamins during pregnancy may significantly reduce the risk of preeclampsia, preterm delivery, gestational diabetes and improve pregnancy outcomes. To date there have been no published studies reporting the effect of supplementation across the course of pregnancy especially in the third trimester. Analysis of the effect of multivitamin use on outcomes of pregnancy was conducted using data collected as part of the Environments for Healthy Living Project, Griffith University that holds data from a total of 2619 live births that took place between 2006–2011 in the South East Queensland region. In this cohort multivitamin use was most significant in the first trimester (57.5%) however 37% of the population reported supplement use at any time throughout gestation. Analysis of this cohort revealed first trimester associations between supplementation and reduced incidence of preeclampsia and preterm delivery. The benefits of supplementation however was found to be limited to early gestation with third trimester multiple micronutrient supplementation associated with increased risk of prolonged pregnancy and significantly greater rates of inductions of labour and birth complications. The results of this study support the hypothesis that multivitamin supplementation may be beneficial during early pregnancy however suggests that this beneficial effect diminishes as parturition approaches. Further investigation of this effect is warranted to support women to make informed choices about supplement use and to support health care practitioner to provide adequate nutritional counselling during pregnancy.

Micronutrient supplement use and diet quality in university students.

Many national and international public health organisations recommend achieving nutrient adequacy through consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods. Despite this, dietary supplement sales continue to increase. Understanding the characteristics of micronutrient supplement users and the relationship with diet quality can help develop effective public health interventions to reduce unnecessary consumption of vitamin and mineral supplements. Participants (n = 1306) were a convenience sample of students studying first year food and nutrition. Data was collected via a Food and Diet Questionnaire (FDQ) and a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Supplement users were defined as participants who indicated consuming any listed supplement as frequently as once a month or more. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) score. Prevalence of supplement use was high in this study population with 56% of participants reporting supplement use; the most popular supplements consumed were multivitamins (28%) and vitamin C (28%). A higher DGI score was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of supplement use (mean: 105 ± 18 vs. 109 ± 17, p = 0.001). Micronutrient supplement use was associated with a higher DGI score, suggesting that supplements are more likely to be used by those who are less likely to require them.

Body composition and habitual and match-day dietary intake of the FNB Maties Varsity Cup rugby players

Background. Rugby is a physically demanding body contact sport. Optimising dietary intake and body composition can positively affect the performance of rugby athletes.Objectives. To determine the body composition, habitual and game-specific nutritional practices of FNB Maties Varsity Cup (MVC) rugby players.Methods. A descriptive, cross-sectional study with an analytical component was conducted. Of all the MVC rugby players (N=35), 18 completed the sections on body composition and match-day dietary intake, while 11 completed the habitual dietary intake section. Body composition data were collected by an International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry-accredited biokineticist. Habitual dietary intake data (via a self-administered 7-day food record) and match-day dietary strategies (via telephonic 24-hour recall interview) were collected and compared with nutritional requirements reported by the International Olympic Committee, the American Dietetic Association, the American College of Sports Medicine and the International Society of Sport Nutrition.Results. Forwards had significantly higher weight (p=0.01), sum of seven skinfolds (p=0.01), percentage body fat (p=0.02), fat mass (p=0.01) and fat-free mass (p=0.01) than backs. Compared with current recommendations, group habitual dietary intake (mean (stand­ard deviation)) was inadequate for total energy (45.4 (9.0) kcal/kg body weight (BW)), carbohydrate (4.3 (0.4) g/kg BW), polyunsaturated fatty acids (6.2 (1.7)% of total energy (TE)), calcium:protein ratio (6.5:1 (3.5:1)) and copper (2.3 (0.4) mg), while displaying higher-than-recommended intakes for total protein (2.4 (0.7) g/kg BW), fibre (37.7 (7.3) g/day), total fat (33.8 (4.3)% TE), saturated fatty acids (11.2 (13.1)% TE), cholesterol (766.3 (371.8) mg) and niacin (45.2 (6.9) µg). Habitual supplement use was high at 91% (n=10/11). Nutritional match-day strategies were excessive for protein (1.2 (0.6) g/kg BW) and fat (0.9 (0.4) g/kg BW) in the pre-event meal, inadequate for energy and carbohydrate during the game and excessive for alcohol (54.4 (59.9) g) after the game.Conclusion. Forwards and backs differed significantly in various body composition measurements. In relation to observed practices, hab­it­ual dietary intake and nutritional match-day strategies were suboptimal, with high reported supplement use. Players in this sport potentially could benefit from specialist input to optimise dietary strategies and body composition in order to enhance performance.

Body composition and habitual and match-day dietary intake of the FNB Maties Varsity Cup rugby players

Background. Rugby is a physically demanding body contact sport. Optimising dietary intake and body composition can positively affect the performance of rugby athletes.Objectives. To determine the body composition, habitual and game-specific nutritional practices of FNB Maties Varsity Cup (MVC) rugby players.Methods. A descriptive, cross-sectional study with an analytical component was conducted. Of all the MVC rugby players (N=35), 18 completed the sections on body composition and match-day dietary intake, while 11 completed the habitual dietary intake section. Body composition data were collected by an International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry-accredited biokineticist. Habitual dietary intake data (via a self-administered 7-day food record) and match-day dietary strategies (via telephonic 24-hour recall interview) were collected and compared with nutritional requirements reported by the International Olympic Committee, the American Dietetic Association, the American College of Sports Medicine and the International Society of Sport Nutrition.Results. Forwards had significantly higher weight (p=0.01), sum of seven skinfolds (p=0.01), percentage body fat (p=0.02), fat mass (p=0.01) and fat-free mass (p=0.01) than backs. Compared with current recommendations, group habitual dietary intake (mean (stand­ard deviation)) was inadequate for total energy (45.4 (9.0) kcal/kg body weight (BW)), carbohydrate (4.3 (0.4) g/kg BW), polyunsaturated fatty acids (6.2 (1.7)% of total energy (TE)), calcium:protein ratio (6.5:1 (3.5:1)) and copper (2.3 (0.4) mg), while displaying higher-than-recommended intakes for total protein (2.4 (0.7) g/kg BW), fibre (37.7 (7.3) g/day), total fat (33.8 (4.3)% TE), saturated fatty acids (11.2 (13.1)% TE), cholesterol (766.3 (371.8) mg) and niacin (45.2 (6.9) µg). Habitual supplement use was high at 91% (n=10/11). Nutritional match-day strategies were excessive for protein (1.2 (0.6) g/kg BW) and fat (0.9 (0.4) g/kg BW) in the pre-event meal, inadequate for energy and carbohydrate during the game and excessive for alcohol (54.4 (59.9) g) after the game.Conclusion. Forwards and backs differed significantly in various body composition measurements. In relation to observed practices, hab­it­ual dietary intake and nutritional match-day strategies were suboptimal, with high reported supplement use. Players in this sport potentially could benefit from specialist input to optimise dietary strategies and body composition in order to enhance performance.

Prevalence of inadequate and suboptimal serum ascorbic acid concentrations among children and adolescents in the United States (2003‐2006) (LB422)

Background: Despite the well‐established need of vitamin C for optimal health, achieving adequate dietary intake based on government recommendations remains a challenge in the United States.Objective: To examine serum ascorbic acid concentrations among a sample of non pregnant/lactating children and adolescents (&lt;20y) with available blood samples and sociodemographic data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2003‐2006).Methods: Ascorbic acid concentrations were assayed by isocratic reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography method with electrochemical detection. Inadequate (&lt;50 µmol/L) and suboptimal (&lt;70 µmol/L) serum ascorbic acid concentrations were defined according to recommendations from the Institute of Medicine and Linus Pauling Institute investigators, respectively. Reported values accounted for complex survey design (sampling weights, cluster, strata).Results: Among children and adolescents (4‐19y; n=5576), 28.6% had inadequate serum concentrations of ascorbic acid. Compared to individuals with no reported supplement use (32.5%; n=4376), a lower prevalence of inadequate serum concentrations of ascorbic acid was observed among those using supplements (19.1%; n=1200; p&lt;0.01). 59.4% of individuals had suboptimal serum concentrations of ascorbic acid. A greater proportion of individuals with no supplement use (64.1%) had suboptimal serum concentrations, relative to those using supplements (48.0%; p&lt;0.01).Conclusions: Lower prevalences of inadequate and suboptimal serum concentrations of ascorbic acid were observed among children and adolescents reporting any dietary supplement use.