Journal of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics

Dietary Supplement Use, Knowledge, and Perceptions among College Students Enrolled in Coordinated Programs in Dietetics

Dietary Supplement (DS) use in the United States (US) has increased over the years with over half of adults regularly consuming at least one. DS use is also increasing on college campuses in the US; however, little is known about the DS use among dietetic students. The purpose of this study was to assess DS use, knowledge and perceptions of students enrolled in coordinated programs in dietetics. A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, convenient sampling strategy was used and data were collected from a validated online survey distributed to students by their program directors. Participants (n=136; mean age=24.79; SD=5.608) were predominately female, Caucasian and single. Students were mostly graduate students, ranked their health as good with overall good eating habits, were trying to maintain their weight and did not follow a specific diet. Most students reported they knew the ingredients in their DSs and reported no adverse effects. 85% of students reported taking supplements and multiple vitamin/mineral supplements were the most frequently used. Of the vitamins, minerals and/or supplements listed, most were used daily to promote general health; whereas most other supplements listed were used a few times per week to promote general health. The main source reported for retrieving DS information from was health professionals followed by the internet. Finally, 10.4% were extremely confident that DSs are safe to consume and 52.6% of students rated their education on DSs as average.

Author(s): JoAnna Cupp1* and Eric Matthews2

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