Supplementation patterns of Washington State dietitians

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Dietary Supplementation Research
• Public Health Nutrition

Background:

• Dietary supplements are widely used, yet patterns among health professionals are not well-documented.
• Understanding supplement use among dietitians can inform public health recommendations and professional practice.
• Personal health choices of nutrition experts may influence public perception and adoption of supplementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the personal dietary supplementation patterns of registered dietitians in Washington State.
• To identify the most frequently used nutritional supplements and demographic correlations.
• To provide insights into the self-care practices of nutrition professionals.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to over 900 dietitians in Washington State.
• A response rate of 75% was achieved, yielding a substantial dataset for analysis.
• Data analysis focused on reported usage of various supplement categories.

Main Results:

• Nearly 60% of surveyed dietitians reported using at least one nutritional supplement.
• The most common supplements were multivitamins with minerals (21%) and vitamin C alone (19%).
• Supplement use varied by demographic subgroup, with higher prevalence among pregnant/lactating women and underweight individuals.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of dietitians personally utilize nutritional supplements.
• Specific supplement choices, like multivitamins and vitamin C, are prevalent among this professional group.
• Further research is needed to understand the underlying reasons for these supplementation patterns.