Predictors of Dietary Supplement Usage among Medical Interns of Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
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Date
2015-03
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Abstract
This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dietary supplement-use and its relationship with demographics
and lifestyle of medical interns. The study sample comprised 356 interns aged 23 to 25 years.
Participants completed a questionnaire on dietary supplement-use during the month preceding the study,
information on demographic characteristics and lifestyle was also obtained. Univariable and multivariable
logistic regression were employed to assess the correlates of dietary supplement-use. The prevalence of dietary
supplement-use was about 33% (males 20.4% and females 43.2%, p<0.001). The most commonly-used
dietary supplement was multivitamin/multivitamin-mineral (90.6% in males and 52.3% in females). Approximately
30% of supplements were used regularly (≥5 days/week) by all subjects. The most-frequently
reported reasons for supplement-use in males were: enhancing daily energy/stamina (51.1%), poor food
intake (13.3%) and, in females, were: improving health and nutritional status (39.3%) and reducing hair
loss (23.4%). The decision to use dietary supplement was mostly driven by the interns themselves (56% in
males, 61% in females). In the univariable analysis, men who exercised once or twice a week were less likely
to use supplements compared to those who reported doing exercise more than twice weekly (OR=0.35,
95% CI 0.12-0.98). Females who reported their health status to be ‘excellent’ were more likely to use supplements
compared to those who described their health status as ‘moderate/poor/very poor’ (OR=2.53, 95%
CI 1.15-5.56) as were women who mentioned their breakfast consumption status as ‘always’ (OR=2.69,
95% CI 1.47-4.92). In the multivariable analysis, only breakfast consumption was significantly related with
dietary supplement-use in females (OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.11-4.38). In conclusion, dietary supplement-use
among medical interns, especially among females, was relatively very common. Dietary supplement-use
was related to a healthier lifestyle.
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Keywords
Dietary supplement, Intern, Lifestyle, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Citation
Sotoudeh Gity, Kabiri Sanaz, Yeganeh Haleh Sadrzadeh, Koohdani Fariba, Khajehnasiri Farahnaz, Khosravi Shahla. Predictors of Dietary Supplement Usage among Medical Interns of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition. 2015 Mar; 33(1): 68-75.