Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Supplement Use is High Among Dietitians

Supplement Use is High Among Dietitians




At a Glance: Most dietitians use supplements themselves as well as recommending them to clients on a regular basis

Read more about this research below.

In the 2009 Healthcare Professionals Impact Study it was observed that 74% of dietitians use supplements on a regular basis, another 22% use them occasionally, and 97% of dietitians recommend dietary supplements to their clients.


When looking at specific supplement usage we see that multivitamins are at the top with 84% of the dietitians surveyed having taken them in the last year. Other supplements commonly taken by dietitians include: calcium supplements (63%), omega-3 supplements (47%), vitamin D (43%), vitamin C (29%), probiotics (24%), B vitamins (23%), fiber supplements (22%), and green tea supplements (18%). The top reasons they took supplements themselves and recommended them to clients were to increase bone health, help fill nutritional gaps, and to improve overall health and wellness.

The study also found that dietitians were much more likely to be healthier in other aspects of their life.

They report showed a high occurrence of healthy eating, good stress management, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and getting adequate sleep. Other studies that have surveyed nurses and physicians also show a trend in increased supplement usage. This study helps to reaffirm the evidence that most healthcare professionals believe that they should be adding dietary supplements to their already healthy lifestyle.

Dickinson A, Bonci L, Boyon N, Franco JC. Dietitians use and recommend dietary supplements: report of a survey. Nutrition journal. 2012;11(1):14.


Source: USANA Essentials of Health

 

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