Investigation of supplement usage and awareness in working adults
10.14442/generalist.34.38
- VernacularTitle:就労成人におけるサプリメントの使用実態と意識についての検討
- Author:
Miyo Nakade
;
Mamiko Kurotani
;
Hisashi Susaki
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
supplements;
working adults;
gender difference;
degree of satisfaction;
advice regarding supplements
- From:An Official Journal of the Japan Primary Care Association
2011;34(1):38-47
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Objective: Gender differences in the usage of supplements by working adults and their awareness of them.
Methods: Full-time employees of Company A in the Tokai region of Japan and their spouses were given cross-sectional questionnaires (response rate: 61.3%), and 658 responses from full-time employees and their spouses were analyzed.
Results: Supplements were used by 23.7% of the participants. They were used by significantly more women than men, and women also had a greater tendency to seek advice regarding supplement use (advice sought by: women, 44.9%; men, 24.1%; p=0.01). Advice was only rarely sought from professionals. The greatest number of respondents stated that they were unsure whether they were satisfied with their supplement use.
Conclusions: Few participants sought out professional advice when taking supplements and many participants appeared to continue using supplements without noticing any improvement. This suggests both the need for further training of professionals to give more appropriate advice regarding necessary supplement use as well as the need to encourage education aimed at creating eating behavior that does not rely simply on supplements.
