FOOD SUPPLEMENT USE AND RELATED BELIEFS - SURVEY OF COMMUNITY-COLLEGESTUDENTS

Food supplement use and related health beliefs were evaluated in 502 c ommunity college students from Arizona. Regular users (37%) were stude nts who reported using supplements weekly or daily, while sporadic use rs (25%) reported taking supplements less than once per week; the rema ining 38% were nonusers. The most popular supplements were vitamin C, multiple vitamins, multivitamins plus minerals, calcium, and vitamin E . Amino acids, garlic, aloe vera, yeast, and fish oil were the most po pular unconventional supplements reported. Significantly more users th an nonusers believed that food supplements increased pep and energy, r educed stress, were necessary to ensure proper nutrition, were needed if people felt tired and run down, and that vitamin C could prevent co lds. The findings revealed that supplement use was prevalent among you ng adults and that supplement users perceived more health benefits of food supplements than nonusers.