scholarly journals Awareness of the Consumption of Dietary Supplements among Students in a University in Saudi Arabia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozaa Z. AlTamimi

The dietary supplement market in Saudi Arabia is growing alongside the number of Saudis consuming dietary supplements. It is therefore increasingly important for healthcare personnel to understand the consumption rate of dietary supplements, whether they are used wisely, and the know-how concerning their use and dosage. The purpose of this study was to clarify the overall awareness of dietary supplement consumption among female students of Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Using a descriptive approach, data were collected from 759 female students (mean age = 22.1 ± 1.7 years) via an electronic survey. All participants reported having consumed dietary supplements at some point, and 32.3% were taking them at the time of the survey. They took supplements primarily for aesthetic reasons (e.g., hair and skin health) and preferred purchasing supplements at pharmacies. Nearly all (89.9%) participants could define supplements correctly, and 43.6% reported that supplements improved health. More than half the sample believed that supplements are safe. While a large proportion of participants correctly identified the recommended number of daily servings of fruits and vegetables, relatively few actually consumed that recommended amount. More than one-third of participants consumed more than one type of supplement simultaneously, and more than half reported that they would use supplements when necessary in the future. The results of this study suggest a need for long-term studies on the consumption of nutritional supplements among Saudis and its impact on health.

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Butts ◽  
Bret Jacobs ◽  
Matthew Silvis

Context: The use of creatine as a dietary supplement has become increasingly popular over the past several decades. Despite the popularity of creatine, questions remain with regard to dosing, effects on sports performance, and safety. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed was searched for articles published between 1980 and January 2017 using the terms creatine, creatine supplementation, sports performance, and dietary supplements. An additional Google search was performed to capture National Collegiate Athletic Association–specific creatine usage data and US dietary supplement and creatine sales. Study Design: Clinical review. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Results: Short-term use of creatine is considered safe and without significant adverse effects, although caution should be advised as the number of long-term studies is limited. Suggested dosing is variable, with many different regimens showing benefits. The safety of creatine supplementation has not been studied in children and adolescents. Currently, the scientific literature best supports creatine supplementation for increased performance in short-duration, maximal-intensity resistance training. Conclusion: While creatine appears to be safe and effective for particular settings, whether creatine supplementation leads to improved performance on the field of play remains unknown.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 783-790
Author(s):  
Doaa M. Abdel-Salam ◽  
Jumanah M. Alruwaili ◽  
Raghad A. Alshalan ◽  
Taghreed A. Alruwaili ◽  
Shrouq A. Alanazi ◽  
...  

Background: Dietary supplement use received wide attention and interest throughout the world, particularly in Gulf countries, because of advanced economic and industrial growth. Objective: The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of dietary supplement use among medical students at Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, an anonymous self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed among medical students at Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. Out of the 381 medical students, 366 answered the questionnaire with a response rate of 96%. Analysis of data was done using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program, version 24. Statistical significance was considered at P values <0.05. Results: Regarding the prevalence of dietary supplement use, 36.3% (n=133) and 29.5% (n=108) of the respondents were previous and current users of dietary supplements, respectively. Multivitamins and vitamin D were the most prevalent dietary supplements used by the participants. The students reported that the internet was the main source of knowledge concerning dietary supplements. The significant predictors of dietary supplement use in the logistic regression analysis were: age >21 years (odds ratio (OR): 3.26; confidence interval (CI): 1.67-10.53), females sex (odds ratio (OR): 2.23; confidence interval (CI): 2.34-6.84), and being in the third academic year or more (odds ratio (OR): 2.58; confidence interval (CI): 1.82-5.37). The most reported reasons for utilizing dietary supplements were nutritional supplementation and health promotion. Nearly three-quarters of the students agreed that dietary supplementation is good for health and recommended others to use them after doctor recommendation. Conclusion: Dietary supplement use was remarkably high among medical students at Jouf University, Saudi Arabia. Consumption of dietary supplements increased significantly among older students, females, and those in the third academic year or more. This study recommends other studies involving students from non-health domain colleges to detect if there is a difference in the prevalence of dietary supplement use within this population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Raihan Sajid ◽  
Lama Quraiba ◽  
Noara Khaled Alhusseini ◽  
Haifa Alsheikh ◽  
Nabel Basha ◽  
...  

In the recent years, dietary supplements use among adults has increased dramatically to maintain good health and prevent diseases. Since some individuals find maintaining a balanced meal a challenge, they use dietary supplements to replace inadequate energy and micro/macro-nutrient intake. The aim of the study is to explore the use of dietary supplements and to assess awareness of its positive/adverse effects among physically active adults and the general population in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey-based study and received 574 responses showing frequencies and types of dietary supplements. The results show that 44.6% of respondents use dietary supplements. The most used dietary supplements were Vitamin C and multivitamins, consumed by 44% of the respondents, Vitamin D (44%), Iron (41%), and Calcium (39%).  Protein sports bars and powder were consumed mainly by gym members, particularly those practicing weight-training exercises. Approximately 4% of respondents reported side-effects secondary to the usage of the dietary supplements. We conclude that the dietary supplement usage is widespread in Saudi Arabia among both gym members and the general public. It is highly recommended to increase awareness measures from official health entities by educating the general population and physically active adults about dietary supplement use and adverse effects to ensure safe practices.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0247295
Author(s):  
Md. Ashraful Islam ◽  
Aseel Fuad Al-karasneh ◽  
Mehwish Rizvi ◽  
Zeb-Un Nisa ◽  
Ahmed Majed Albakheet ◽  
...  

Purpose The aim of this study was to gather data from female students studying in both health and non-health colleges at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University and report the prevalence, reasons, and determinants of dietary supplements use. Methods A month-long cross-sectional study was conducted in health and non-health colleges affiliated to Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Convenient sampling was employed, and the data was gathered through an online survey using the English and Arabic versions of the Dietary Supplement Questionnaire (DSQ). The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23 and Medcalc. The study was approved by an ethics committee. Results Data from 545 participants was collected. The overall prevalence of dietary supplement use was 32.7% (95% CI: 29.06%– 36.51%). The prevalence was 29.77% (95% CI: 25.29%– 34.56%) among students at all health colleges combined and, it was 37.50% (95% CI: 31.36%– 43.96%) among students at all non-health colleges. Most students used a brand product, spent a monthly cost of SAR 286 (USD 76.3) on supplements and agreed that supplements were good for health (N = 392, 71.9%). Students from non-health- colleges agreed that dietary supplements are good for health in greater numbers as compared to non-health college students (p < 0.001). Students aged ≥ 20 years, studying in a non-health college and up to 3rd year of study, were more 2 times more likely to agree that dietary supplements are good for health. Conclusion Supplements were commonly used among female students at this university however, it was quite low as compared to students from other local and regional universities. Prevalence was higher in non-health colleges as compared to health colleges and the most commonly used supplements were brand products and, multivitamins, used for general health and well-being. This highlights the inclination of students towards supplement use.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2968
Author(s):  
Safar Abadi Alsaleem ◽  
Maryam Mohammed Asiri ◽  
Mohammed Abadi Alsaleem ◽  
Abdulrahman Nasser AlShahrani ◽  
Khalid Amer Alamer ◽  
...  

Dietary supplements are commercially available manufactured products used as an addition to the normal diet and involve vitamins, minerals, herbs (botanicals), amino acids, and various other products. With the use of a cross-sectional survey, the present paper intended to analyze dietary supplement usage and its health and sociodemographic determinants among attendants of primary health care centers in Abha City, southwestern Saudi Arabia. The sample was selected randomly using the two-stage cluster sampling technique. The study included 438 participants (115 males and 323 females). Their ages ranged from 18 to 59 years, with an average of 36.2 ± 11.7 years. The study showed that 330 people used dietary supplementation, giving a prevalence of 75.3% (95% CI: 71.1–79.2%). The most commonly used supplements were multivitamins (215, 65.2%), specific vitamins (60, 18.2%), and mineral pills (38, 11.5%). Advice from health care workers was the most frequent reason for using dietary supplements (49.4%). The majority (71.2%) reported feeling a better quality of life after using dietary supplements. The most frequent disadvantages of using dietary supplements were constipation and headache (30%) and the most frequent advantage was increasing appetite (59.8%). The people who most frequently recommended the use of supplements were health care workers (190, 57.6%), followed by friends or family members (62, 18.8%), and people on social media (43, 13%). Females had a significantly higher probability of using dietary supplements than males did (Cor = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.21–3.27), and those with a chronic disease had a considerably higher likelihood of using dietary supplements (cOR = 3.48, 95% CI = 2.04–6.06). Age, educational level, and marital status were not significantly related with dietary supplement usage. In conclusion, health care workers should focus on females and persons with chronic diseases in their practice. They should provide them with evidence-based advice regarding the use of dietary supplements. Continued medical education training programs tailored to the needs of health care staff addressing this issue should be provided. New guidelines should be developed to help health professionals to provide their patients with comprehensive care at the primary health care level.


Author(s):  
Mabrouk Al- Rasheedi ◽  
Maha ALrajhi ◽  
Saad S. Alqahtani ◽  
Alreshidi Mateq Ali ◽  
Mohammad Alharbi ◽  
...  

Background: A significant growth in dietary supplement usage has occurred and this trend is particularly evident among females. This underlines the need to establish current knowledge levels among a female participant cohort based in the Aseer Region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), along with determining the types of products being used and the typical reasons cited for their consumption. Methods: A total of 173 participants drawn from various age groups took part in this descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The survey was conducted over a three-month period from September to November 2019, using a structured online questionnaire. Results: The results of this research show that dietary supplement usage was highly prevalent among study participants. Young females (18–24 years) demonstrated significantly higher knowledge levels as compared to all other age groups (p<0.001 vs. other participants). Conclusion: This study has clearly shown that the participants in fact have a very varied range of knowledge, very often according to age, about the use of dietary supplements. 18–24-year-olds demonstrated higher levels of dietary supplement knowledge compared to the other age groups.


2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Diehl ◽  
Ansgar Thiel ◽  
Stephan Zipfel ◽  
Jochen Mayer ◽  
Alexia Schnell ◽  
...  

The authors’ aim was to examine the prevalence of (daily) dietary-supplement (DS) use among elite adolescent athletes and to differentiate use by different types of DS according to their function. Data were analyzed for associations between users of these DS types, sociodemographic, sport-specific characteristics, and opinion on the need for DS. In addition, sources of supply and information were examined. In the framework of the GOAL Study, 1,138 German elite adolescent athletes (14–18 yr) answered questions about DS. The data were analyzed to identify groups at risk for using DS after a classification by supplemental function. Of the young athletes, 91.1% reported DS use during the previous month. (Daily) DS use was significantly associated with sex, kind of sport, and the weekly duration of sporting activity. Furthermore, some athletes were required to use DS by their sporting organization. DS use was more likely in these athletes than in those whose sporting organizations had no such requirement. Overall, DS with short- and long-term supplemental function were mostly associated with the use of magnesium. However, DS with medium-term muscle-building function played an important role among daily users. The main source of information about DS was coaches; main source of supply was parents. Professional education is urgently needed, as 9 out of 10 athletes used DS, and strong positive opinions toward the use of DS were present, particularly in the DS users.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence J. Schweinhart ◽  
Elena V. Malofeeva ◽  
Lawrence J. Schweinhart ◽  
Michelle M. Englund ◽  
Arthur J. Reynolds ◽  
...  

Phlebologie ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 39 (03) ◽  
pp. 133-137
Author(s):  
H. Partsch

SummaryBackground: Compression stockings are widely used in patients with varicose veins. Methods: Based on published literature three main points are discussed: 1. the rationale of compression therapy in primary varicose veins, 2. the prescription of compression stockings in daily practice, 3. studies required in the future. Results: The main objective of prescribing compression stockings for patients with varicose veins is to improve subjective leg complaints and to prevent swelling after sitting and standing. No convincing data are available concerning prevention of progression or of complications. In daily practice varicose veins are the most common indication to prescribe compression stockings. The compliance depends on the severity of the disorder and is rather poor in less severe stages. Long-term studies are needed to proof the cost-effectiveness of compression stockings concerning subjective symptoms and objective signs of varicose veins adjusted to their clinical severity. Conclusion: Compression stockings in primary varicose veins are able to improve leg complaints and to prevent swelling.


Author(s):  
Yelena I. Polyakova ◽  
Yekaterina I. Novichkova ◽  
Tatiana S. Klyuvitkina ◽  
Elizaveta A. Agafonova ◽  
Irina M. Kryukova

Presented the results of long-term studies of diatoms and aquatic palynomorphs in surface sediments of the Arctic seas and the possibility of their use for the reconstructions of paleocirculation water masses, advection of Atlantic and Bering sea water into the Arctic ocean, changes in the river runoff to the seas, sedimentary processes in the marginal filter of the largest rivers, seasonal sea ice cover and other hydrological parameters.


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